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AN EMPIRE STORY 




'NO MAN WAS SAFE, NO LIFE WAS SURE' (page 79) 



AN EMPIRE STORY 

STORIES OF INDIA AND 
THE GREATER COLONIES 

TOLD TO CHILDREN BY 

H. Ev M A R S H A L L 



author of 
'our island story,' 'Scotland's story,' 

ETC., ETC. 

WITH PICTURES BY 

J. R. SKELTON 




NEW YORK 
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



iqo^ 






i 




::t=.1961. 




TO 



FRED AND ARNOLD 



ABOUT THIS BOOK 

* The Empire upon which the sun never sets.' We all 
know these words, and we say them with a somewhat 
proud and grand air, for that vast Empire is ours. It 
belongs to us, and we to it. 

But although we are proud of our Empire it may be 
that some of us know little of its history. We only 
know it as it now is, and we forget perhaps that there 
was a time when it did not exist. We forget that it 
has grown to be great out of very small beginnings. We 
forget that it did not grow great all at once, but that 
with pluck and patience our fellow-countrymen built it 
up by Uttle and by Httle, each leaving behind him a vaster 
inheritance than he found. So, 'lest we forget,' in this 
book I have told a few of the most exciting and interest- 
ing stories about the building up of this our great heritage 
and possession. 

But we cannot 

* Rise with the sun and ride with the same. 
Until the next morning he rises again.' 

We cannot in one day gird the whole world about, 
following the sun in his course, visiting with him all the 
many countries, all the scattered islands of the sea which 
form the mighty Empire upon which he never ceases to 

vii 



viii OUR EMPIRE STORY 

shine. No, it will take us many days to compass the 
journey, and little eyes would ache, little brains be weary 
long before the tale ended did I try to tell of all *the 
far-away isles of home, where the old speech is native, 
and the old flag floats.' So in this book you will find 
stories of the five chief portions of our Empire only, that 
is of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, 
and India. But perhaps some day, if you greet these 
stories as kindly as you have greeted those of England 
and of Scotland, I will tell you in another book more 
stories of Our Empire. 

The stories are not aU bright. How should they be ? 
We have made mistakes, we have been checked here, we 
have stumbled there. We may own it without shame, 
perhaps almost without sorrow, and still love our Empire 
and its builders. Still we may say, 

* Where shall the watchful sun, 

England, my England, 
Match the master-work you 've done, 

England, my own ? 
When shall he rejoice agen 
Such a breed of mighty men 
As come forward, one to ten. 

To the song on your bugles blown, 
England — 
Down the years on your bugles blown ? * 

H. E. MARSHALL. 



Oxford, 1908. 



CONTENTS 
CANADA 

CHAP PAGE 

1. HOW LIEF THE SON OF ERIC THE RED SAILED INTO 

THE WEST 1 

II. WESTWARD ! WESTWARD ! WESTWARD ! . . 6 

III. HOW A BRETON SAILOR CAME TO CANADA . . 9 

IV. THE STORY OF HENRY HUDSON .... 15 
V. THE FATHER OF NEW FRANCE .... 23 

VI. THE FOUNDING OF QUEBEC .... 29 

VII. HOW A BOLD ANSWER SAVED QUEBEC ... 33 

VIII. HOW THE UNION JACK WAS HOISTED UPON THE 

FORT OF ST. LOUIS 37 

IX. THE FEAST OF EAT-EVERYTHING ... 42 

X. A KNIGHT OF NEW FRANCE .... 60 

XI. THE BEGINNING OF THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY . 66 

XII. THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE .... 60 

XIII. THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE CONTINUED . . 68 

XIV. COUNT FRONTENAC 76 

XV. THE STORY OF MADELEINE DE VERCHERES . . 79 

XVI. THE WAR OF THE BOUNDARY LINE . . . 86 

XVII. THE PATH OF GLORY . . . . . 92 

XVIII. FOR THE EMPIRE . . . ... 99 

XIX. THE STORY OF LAURA SECORD . . . .103 



X OUR EMPIRE STORY 

CHAP. 

XX. RED RIVER SETTLEMENT . . 

XXI. LOUIS RIEL . . . . . 

LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS . 



fAGK 

109 
116 
120 



AUSTRALIA 

I. 'THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN* . 
II. THE FOUNDING OF SYDNEY .... 

III. THE ADVENTURES OF GEORGE BASS AND MATTHEW 

FLINDERS . . . . . 

IV. A LITTLE REVOLUTION .... 
V. THE FIRST TRAVELLER IN QUEENSLAND . 

VL THROUGH THE GREAT UNKNOWN . 
VII. 'THE TRACTS OF THIRST AND FURNACE' 
VIII. THE FINDING OF GOLD .... 

IX. THE BUSHRANGERS 

LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS . 



126 
ISO 

136 
143 
148 
166 
163 
167 
174 
180 



NEW ZEALAND 

I. HOW A GREAT WHITE BIRD CAME TO THE SHORES . 183 
II. THE APOSTLE OF NEW ZEALAND . . . .188 

III. HONGI THE WARRIOR 196 

IV. HOW THE MAORIS BECAME THE CHILDREN OF THE 

GREAT WHITE QUEEN . . . . .200 

V. 'THE HEAVENLY DAWN' AND 'THE WILD CABBAGE 

LEAF' MAKE WAR 206 

VI. THE FLAGSTAFF WAR 211 

VII. THE WARPATH ....... 216 

VIII. THE STORMING OF THE BAT'S NEST . . .222 

IX. THE TAMING OF THE WILD CABBAGE LEAF . . 226 



CONTENTS 

CHAP. 

X. THE KING OF THE MAORIS 

XI. TO THE SOUND OF THE WAR-SONG 
XII. THE HAU HAUS AND TE KOOTI . 

LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS . 

SOUTH AFRICA 

I. EARLY DAYS . 
II. THE COMING OF THE DUTCH 

III. THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 

IV. THE COMING OF THE BRITISH 
V. THE REBELLION OF SLACHTER'S NEK 

VI. THE GREAT WITCH DOCTOR 
VII. ABOUT THE BLACK NAPOLEON 
VIII. THE GREAT TREK 
IX. DINGAAN'S TREACHERY 
X. THE WAR OF THE AXE 
XL THE WRECK OF THE 'BIRKENHEAD' 

XII. THE FOUNDING OF TWO REPUBLICS 
XIIL THE STORY OF A FALSE PROPHET 
XIV. A STORY ABOUT A PRETTY STONE 

XV. FACING FEARFUL ODDS 
XVI. UPON MAJUBA'S HEIGHT 

XVII. THE GOLD CITY 

XVIII. WAR AND PEACE 
LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS 

INDIA 

I. ALEXANDER THE GREAT INVADES INDIA 

II. HOW BRAVE MEN WENT SAILING UPON UNKNOWN 

SEAS 



XI 

FAGB 

229 
233 
238 
242 



246 
250 
256 
262 
269 
273 
278 
283 
289 
296 
302 
307 
811 
316 
322 
331 
336 
338 
842 

347 
361 



GOVERNOR-GENERAL 



xii OUR EMPIRE STORY 

CHAP. 

III. SUCCESS AT LAST .... 

IV. DUTCH AND ENGLISH 

V. THE FIRST BRITISH AMBASSADOR GOES TO THE 
COURT OF THE EMPEROR OF INDIA 

VI. THE HATRED OF THE DUTCH . 

VII. THE FRENCH IN INDIA 

VIII. THE SIEGE OF ARCOT 

IX. THE BLACK HOLE . 

X. THE BATTLE OF PLASSEY 

XL TIMES OF MISRULE . 

XII. WARREN HASTINGS, FIRST 

XIII. WARREN HASTINGS— WAR 

XIV. TIPPOO SULTAN 
XV. WARRIOR CHIEFTAINS 

XVI. THE MUTINY OF VELLORE 
XVII. THE GHURKAS 
XVIII. THE PINDARIS AND THE LAST MARATHA WAR 

XIX. THE FIRST BURMESE WAR 

XX. THE SIEGE OF BHURTPORE 

XXL SATI AND THAGS 
XXIL THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR 

XXIII. THE SIKHS 

XXIV. THE MUTINY— DELHI 
XXV. THE MUTINY— CAWNPORE 

XXVI. THE MUTINY— LUCKNOW 
XXVII. THE EMPRESS OF INDIA 

LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS 
INDEX . . . . , 



PAGB 

356 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

'NO MAN WAS SAFE, NO LIFE WAS SURE' , . Frontispiece 

AT PAGE 

'THESE CRUEL MEN MEANT TO TURN HUDSON ADRIFT 

ON THE ICY WATERS' 18 

'ALONE ACROSS THE TRACKLESS SNOW' ... 64 

' SLIPPING AND STUMBLING, THE MEN WENT ON ' . . 96 

'DRIVING A COW BEFORE HER, LAURA SECORD PASSED 

THE AMERICAN SENTRIES' 106 

'NATIVES GATHERED ROUND THEM' . . . .136 

'ALL DAY LONG THE SOUND OF THE PICK AND THE 

RUMBLE OF THE CRADLE WERE HEARD' . 170 

'THE COACH WOULD BE "HELD-UP" AND ALL THE PAS- 
SENGERS ROBBED ' ...... 178 

'COOK TOLD THE MAORIS THAT HE HAD COME TO SET A 

MARK UPON THEIR ISLANDS' .... 184 

^SHOUTING THEIR WAR-CRY, THE BRITISH CHARGED THE 

BREACH' 220 

'WHERE NOW THE GREAT CITY OF CAPE TOWN STANDS, 

THEY SET UP THEIR TENTS AND HUTS' . . .250 

'THE BULLOCK- WAGONS WOUND SLOWLY OVER THE 

BILLOWY PLAINS ' 286 



xiv OUR EMPIRE STORY 

AT PAGE 

* BESIDE THEM STOOD THE WOMEN QUIETLY LOADING 

GUNS' ........ 292 

'THUS DID A HUNDRED MEN KEEP THREE THOUSAND 

SAVAGES AT BAY' 326 

'SIR THOMAS STOOD BEFORE THE MOGUL' . . .370 

'CLIVE FIRED ONE OF THE GUNS HIMSELF' . . . 390 

'TIPPOO SULTAN'S BODY WAS FOUND BURIED BENEATH 

THOSE OF HIS FOLLOWERS ' 422 

'CRUSHED BY ROLLING STONES, MOWN DOWN BY VOLLEYS 

OF MUSKET-SHOT, THE MEN FELL IN HUNDREDS' . 458 

'THE BOATS STUCK IN THE MUD AND WERE AN EASY 

MARK' .472 

'BRITISH SOLDIERS WERE SEEN FIGHTING THEIR WAY 

THROUGH THE STREETS' 476 



LIST OF MAPS 



CANADA ...... 

THE SETTLEMENTS OF NORTH AMERICA 

AUSTRALIA 

NEW ZEALAND . . 

SOUTH AFRICA 

INDIA ...... 



98 
124 
182 
244 
346 



CANADA 



Note. — Except the verses from Grey's Elegy at the end of Chapter xvii. 
?X\ the poetry in this part of the book is by Canadian authors, 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 

CHAPTER I 

HOW LIEF THE SON OF ERIC THE RED SAILED INTO 

THE WEST 

Many hundred years ago, Lief, the son of Eric the Red, 
stood upon the shores of Norway. His hair was fair 
and long, and his eyes as blue as the sea upon which he 
looked. And as he watched the sea-horses tossing their 
foam-manes, his heart longed to be out upon the wild 
waves. 

For Bjarne the Traveller had come home. He had 
come from sailing far seas, and had brought back with 
him news of a strange, new land which lay far over the 
waves towards the setting of the sun. It was a land, he 
said, full of leafy woods and great tall trees such as had 
never been seen in Norway. Above a shore of white 
sand waved golden fields of corn. Beneath the summer 
breeze vast seas of shimmering grass bowed themselves, 
and all the air was scented with spice, and joyous with 
the song of birds. 

* I will find this land,' cried Lief Ericson, ' I will 
find this land and call it mine.' 

All day long he paced the shore, thinking and longing, 
and when the shadows of evening fell he strode into his 
father's hall. 



2 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Eric the Red sat in his great chair, and Lief, his 
son, stood before him. The firelight gleamed upon the 
gold bands round his arms and was flashed back from 
his glittering armour. * Father,' he cried, * give me a 
ship. I would sail beyond the seas to the goodly lands 
of which Bjarne the Traveller tells.' 

Then Eric the Red poured shining yellow gold into 
the hands of Lief, his son. * Go,' he cried, * buy the 
ship of Bjarne and sail to the goodly lands of which he 
tells.' 

So Lief bought the ship of Bjarne the Traveller, and 
to him came four-and- thirty men, tall and strong and 
eager as he, to sail the seas to the new lands towards the 
setting sun. 

Then Lief bent his knee before his father. ' Come, 
you, O my father,' he cried, ' and be our leader.' 

But Eric the Red shook his head. ' I am too old,' 
he said. Yet his blue eyes looked wistfully out to sea. 
His old heart leaped at the thought that once again 
before he died he might feel his good ship bound beneath 
him, that once again it would answer to the helm under 
his hand as his horse to the rein. 

* Nay, but come, my father,' pleaded Lief, * you will 
bring good luck to our sailing.' 

' Ay, I will come,' cried Eric the Red. Then rising, 
the old sea-king threw off his robe of state. Once again, 
as in days gone by, he clad himself in armour of steel 
and gold, and mounting upon his horse he rode to the 
shore. 

As Eric neared the ship the warriors set up a shout 
of welcome. But even as they did so his horse stumbled 
and fell. The king was thrown to the ground. In vain 
he tried to rise. He had hurt his foot so badly that 
he could neither stand nor walk. 



HOW LIEF SAILED WEST 8 

* Go, my son,' said Eric sadly, ' the gods will have 
it thus. It is not for me to discover new lands. You 
are young. Go, and bring me tidings of them.' 

So Lief and his men mounted into his ship and sailed 
out toward the West. Three weeks they sailed. All 
around them the blue waves tossed and foamed but no 
land did they see. At last, one morning, a thin grey 
line far to the west appeared like a pencil- streak across 
the blue. Hurrah, land was near I On they sailed, the 
shore ever growing clearer and clearer. At length there 
rose before them great snow-covered mountains, and all 
the land between the sea and the hills was a vast plain 
of snow. 

* It shall not be said that we found no land,' said 
Lief ; * I will give this country a name.' So they called it 
Hellaland. 

Then on again they sailed. Again they came to 
land. This time it was covered with trees, and the long, 
low sloping shore was of pure white sand. They called 
it Markland, which means Woodland. Again they sailed 
on, until at length they came to a place where a great 
river flowed into the sea. There they made up their 
minds to stay for the winter. 

So they cast anchor and left the ship and put up 
their tents upon the shore. Then they built a house of 
wood in which to live. In the river they found fish in 
great plenty, and in the plains grew wild corn. So they 
suffered neither from cold nor hunger. 

When the great house was finished, Lief spoke : ' I 
will divide my men into two bands,' he said. * One band 
shall stay at home and guard the house. The other 
shall walk abroad and search through the land to discover 
what they may.' 

So it was done. Sometimes Lief stayed with the men 



4 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

at home. Sometimes he went abroad with those who 
explored. 

Thus the Northmen passed the winter, finding many 
wonderful things in this strange new land. And when 
spring came they sailed homeward to tell the people 
there of all the marvels they had seen and all that they 
had done. Then the people wondered greatly. And 
Lief they called Lief the Fortunate. 

Afterwards many people sailed from Greenland and 
from Norway to the fair new lands in the west. This 
land we now call North America, and the parts of it 
which Lief discovered and called Hellaland and Markland 
we now call Labrador and Nova Scotia. So it was that 
five hundred years before Columbus hved, America was 
known to these wild sea-kings of the north. 



CHAPTER II 

WESTWARD! WESTWARD! WESTWARD! 

Many hundreds of years passed. Amid strife and war- 
fare the wild Northmen forgot about the strange country 
far in the West which their forefathers had discovered. 
They heard of it only in the old, half-forgotten tales 
which the minstrels sometimes sang. They thought of 
it only as a fairy country — a land of nowhere. 

Then there came a time when all the earth was filled 
with unrest. The world, men said, was round, not flat, as 
the learned ones of old had taught. Then, if the world was 
round, India might be reached by sailing west as easily 
as by sailing east. So brave and daring men stepped 
into their ships and sailed away toward the setting sun. 
They steered out into wide, unknown waters in search 
of a new way to lands of gold and spice. 

Columbus, the great sailor of Genoa, sailed into the 
west, and returned with many a strange story of the 
countries which he had seen and claimed for the King 
of Spain. Then there came to England a sailor of 
Venice, called John Cabot. If the King of Spain might 
find and claim new lands, he asked, why not the King 
of England too ? 

So one fair May morning the little ship named the 
Matthew sailed out from Bristol harbour. Crowds of 
people came to see it as it spread its white wings and 
sped away and away into the unknown. Followed by 



6 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

the wishes and the prayers of many an anxious heart 
it glided on and on until it was but a speck in the 
distance, and the sailors turning their eyes backward, saw 
the land dwindle and fade to a thin grey streak and then 
vanish away. They were alone on the wide blue waters, 
steering they knew not whither. 

To the West they sped, week by week. A month 
passed. Still there was no sign of land. Six weeks, 
seven weeks passed, still no land. Master John Cabot 
walked apart on the deck, his sailors looked askance at 
him. Would their faith hold out ? he asked himself. How 
much longer would they sail thus into the unknown? 
These were days of danger and dread. For Master John 
well knew that the passion of man's heart and the mad- 
ness of famine and despair, were more to be feared than 
the howl of the winds and the anger of the waves. 

But at length one bright June morning there came a 
cry from the sailor on the outlook, * Land a-hoy.' Master 
John Cabot was saved. He had reached at last the port 
of his golden hopes. They still sailed, the tide running 
gently and bearing them onward, and so on the 24th of 
June 1497 a.d., John Cabot landed on * New-found-land.' 

Where he landed he planted a cross with the arms 
of England carved upon it. The flag of England fluttered 
out to the sound of an English cheer as the brave sailor 
claimed the land for Henry vii., King of England and 
France, and lord of Ireland. 

Cabot called the country St. John's Land, because he 
first came there on St. John's Day. The exact spot is 
not known, but it is thought to have been either at 
Cape Breton or at some point on the coast of Labrador. 

After staying a little time, Cabot and his men set sail 
again, and turned their vessel homeward. The country 
that they had found seemed fertile and fruitful. But 



WESTWARD 1 WESTWARD I WESTWARD! 7 

it was not the land of gold and spice, of gems and silken 
riches which they had hoped to find. So they returned 
with empty hands, and but little guessing upon what 
a vast continent they had planted the flag of England. 
They returned, little knowing that the people of England 
would carry that flag across the continent to the sea 
beyond, and that in days to come state should be added 
to state till the great Dominion of Canada was formed. 

But although Cabot returned with empty hands, the 
King of England received him kindly. He was, how- 
ever, *a king wise but not lavish.' Indeed, he liked but 
little to spend his gold. So as a reward he gave Cabot 
£10. It does not seem much, even when we remember 
that £10 then was worth as much as £120 now. Still, 
Cabot had a good time with it. He dressed himself in 
silk and grandeur, and walked about the streets, followed 
by crowds who came to stare and wonder at the man 
who had found *a new isle.' Later, the king gave Cabot 
£20 a year. Not much more is known about his life, 
but it is thought that he, with his son Sebastian, sailed 
again — perhaps more than once — to the * Isle beyond the 

Seas.' 

CABOT 

' Over the hazy distance. 
Beyond the sunset's rim. 
For ever and for ever 
^ Those voices called to him, 

Westward ! westward ! westward ! 
The sea sang in his head. 
At morn in the busy harbour, 
At nightfall in his bed — 
Westward ! westward ! westward ! 
Over the line of breakers, 
Out of the distance dim, 
For ever the foam-white fingers 
Beckoning — beckoning him. 



8 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

All honour to this grand old Pilot, 

Whose flag is struck, whose sails are furled. 

Whose ship is beached, whose voyage ended ; 

Who sleeps somewhere in sod unknown. 

Without a slab, without a stone. 

In that great Island, sea-im pearled. 

Yea, reverence with honour blended, i 

For this old seaman of the past. 

Who braved the leagues of ocean hurled. 

Who out of danger knowledge rended. 

And built the bastions, sure and fast, 

Of that great bridge-way grand and vast, 

Of golden commerce round the world. 

Yea, he is dead, this mighty seaman ! 
Four long centuries ago. 
Beating westward, ever westward. 
Beating out from old Bristowe, 
Far he saw in visions lifted, 
Down the golden sunset's glow. 
Through the bars of twilight rifted, 
All the glories that we know. 
Yea, he is dead ; but who shall say 
That all the splendid deeds he wrought. 
That all the lofty truths he taught 
(If truth be knowledge nobly sought) 
Are dead and vanished quite away .'' 

Greater than shaft or storied fane 

Than bronze and marble blent. 

Greater than all the honours he could gain 

From a nation's high intent. 

He sleeps alone, in his great isle, unknown. 

With the chalk-clifFs all around him for his 

mighty graveyard stone, 
And the league-long sounding roar 
Of old ocean, for evermore 
Beating, beating, about his rest. 
For fane and monument.' 

Wilfred Campbell. 



CHAPTER III 

HOW A BRETON SAILOR CAME TO CANADA 

Years passed on. England did little more than plant 
her flag in the New World, as the lands beyond the seas 
came to be called. Now and again indeed the English 
tried to found colonies. But the settlers sickened and 
died, and the attempts failed. Sir Humphrey Gilbert, 
half-brother of the famous Raleigh, was among the 
gallant captains who sailed the seas and claimed strange 
lands in the name of the great Queen Elizabeth. He 
landed upon the shores of New-found-land — the island 
which is still called by that name to-day. There he set 
up the royal arms of England, and, with solemn cere- 
mony, taking a handful of soil in his hand, Sir Humphrey 
declared the land to be the possession of Elizabeth, 
Queen by the Grace of God. 

So Newfoundland became a British possession, and 
thus claims to be the oldest of all our colonies. 

Meanwhile Spain and Portugal were busy gathering 
wealth and glory in the New World. But the King of 
France thought that he too should have a share. He 
sent a message to the King of Spain asking him if it was 
true that he and the King of Portugal meant to divide 
all the world between them without allowing him a 
share as a brother. * I would fain see in father Adam's 
will where he made you the sole heirs to so vast an 
inheritance,' he added. * Until I do see that, I shall 



10 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

seize as mine whatever my good ships may happen to 
find upon the ocean.' 

So the French King sent men to explore America. 
And all that they explored he called New France, 
taking little heed to the fact that the flag of England 
had already been planted there. 

Many daring men sailed forth with the French King's 
orders, but Jacques Cartier, a Breton sailor, is perhaps 
the most famous. He made four voyages to the New 
World, and brought back many wonderful tales of the 
things he had seen there. He told how he had met with 
wild and savage folk with dark skins. They painted 
their bodies in strange fashions, and their only clothes 
were the skins of beasts. Their black hair was drawn up 
on the top of the head and tied there like a wisp of hay, 
and decorated with bright feathers sticking out in all 
directions. 

These men were the Red Indians of North America. 
They are not really Indians at all. But when the first 
people found America they thought that they had 
reached India by sailing west, and they called the natives 
Indians. We have called them so ever since. 

Cartier told too of great beasts like oxen which had 
two teeth like the tusks of elephants and which went in 
the sea. Strange fish he saw, * of which it is not in the 
manner of man to have seen,' some with the head of a 
greyhound and as white as snow, some that had the 
shape of horses and did go by day on land and by night 
in the sea. 

Besides these tales of strange beasts and men, Cartier 
told of a fairy city of which he had heard. This city 
was called Norumbega. The Indians believed that some- 
where beyond the rivers and the mountains it lay full 
of untold wealth and splendid with starry turrets and 



HOW A SAILOR CAME TO CANADA 11 

glittering gem- strewn streets. There the sun shone for 
ever golden, the air was sweet with the scent of richest 
spices through which rang, all day long, the song of 
birds. And when they heard of it, many left their homes 
and sailed away to seek this city of Delight. Cartier 
himself sailed many a league. He went where no white 
man had been before. But he never found the Golden 
City. 

The wild people were not unfriendly. They looked 
in wonder at the strange men with pale faces who came 
to their country in winged boats. For although the 
Indians had canoes made of birch bark, in which they 
travelled up and down their rivers and great lakes, they 
had never before seen a boat with sails. 

It was while Cartier was exploring that Canada 
received the name by which we know it. 

* Cannata,' said the Indians pointing to their village 
of huts. 

Cartier thought that they meant that the country 
was called Cannata. So he called it Cannata or Canada. 
But the Indians had only meant to show the pale face 
their village, and the word in the Indian language really 
means a village. 

Upon the shores of the Bay of Gasp^, where Cartier 
landed, he raised a great cross of thirty feet in height. 
To the cross-bar he nailed a shield on which were carved 
three fleurs-de-lis, the emblem of France. Above the 
shield, in large letters, were carved the words, ' Long live 
the King of France.' When the cross was planted in 
the ground Cartier and his men joined hands, and, kneel- 
ing round it in a circle, prayed. About them stood the 
astonished, wondering Indians. They were a little ill- 
pleased that these pale strangers should raise this 
unknown sign upon their land without leave. But they 



12 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

could not guess that in years to come, before the sign 
of the cross, before the foot of the white man, the red 
man should vanish away as snow before the sun. 

Cartier was kind to the Indians. They grew to love 
him, and when, upon his second voyage, they heard that 
he meant to leave them and explore inland they were 
very sorry. Perhaps, too, they did not want any other 
Indians to have the beads and ribbons and pretty things 
which Cartier gave them in exchange for their furs. 
So they did all they could to prevent him from going. 
They even tried to frighten him. Three Indians dressed 
themselves as evil spirits. They painted their faces 
black, stuck great horns a yard long upon their heads, 
and covered themselves with black and white dogskins. 
Then in a war canoe they came paddling down the river, 
howling dismally all the time. When they came in 
sight the other Indians began to shriek and howl too. 
They ran to Cartier and told him that these were spirits 
which had been sent by their god to warn him not to go 
up the river as he intended. * If you go, O Pale Face, 
fearful things will come upon you,' they said. *Wind 
and storms, ice and snow, will bar your way. None 
will return alive. Our god will lead you into the spirit 
land.' 

But Cartier was not at all afraid. He laughed at 
the Indians. ' Your god is powerless,' he said. ' My God 
is all powerful. He Himself has spoken to me, and He 
has promised to keep me safe through every danger.' 

So Cartier started on his journey and travelled up the 
river, now called the St. Lawrence, to an Indian village 
named Hochelaga. There he climbed a hill and looked 
around upon the fair country. As far as the eye could 
reach land rolled before him. Over dark forest and wild 
prairie, over lake and hill and valley swept his wondering 



HOW A SAILOR CAME TO CANADA 13 

gaze. He followed the grand and shining river, as it 
wound its way along, until it was lost in the dim distance. 
It was not indeed the fairy land of which he had heard, 
but it was very splendid. ' It is Mount Royal,' he said. 
And to-day it is still called Mount Royal, for that little 
Indian village has grown into the great city of Montreal. 

When Cartier returned to France after his first voyage 
to Canada, he took with him two Red Indians, sons of a 
great Indian chief. This he did so that they might learn 
French and be able, on their return, to translate for him 
all that was said. 

Many times Cartier sailed to Canada. With him he 
brought men and women, so that they might settle in the 
land, and making their homes there, form a New France 
over the seas. But few people wanted to leave their 
comfortable homes and go to live in a far and unknown 
land. So, to get men enough, Cartier was obliged to take 
them out of the prisons. As might have been expected, 
people who had been put in prison for their evil deeds 
did not make good colonists. They met besides with 
many troubles. They suffered from sickness, cold and 
hunger. Many of them died, and at last those who 
were left sailed back again to France. And so Cartier 's 
attempt at making a colony ended. 

Awake, my country, the hour of dreams is done ! 
Doubt not, nor dread the greatness of thy fate. 
Tho' faint souls fear the keen confronting sun. 
And fain would bid the morn of splendour wait ; 
Tho' dreamers, rapt in starry visions, cry 
' Lo, yon thy future, yon thy faith, thy fame ! ' 
And stretch vain hands to stars, thy fame is nigh. 
Here in Canadian hearth, and home, and name. 

This name which yet shall grow 

Till all the nations know 
Us for a patriot people, heart and hand 
Loyal to our native earth, our own Canadian land ! 



14, OUR EMPIRE STORY 

O strong hearts, guarding the birthright of our glory, 
Worth your best blood the heritage that ye guard ! 
These mighty streams resplendent with our story. 
These iron coasts by rage of seas unjarred, — 
What fields of peace these bulwarks well secure ! 
What vales of plenty those calm floods supply ! 
Shall not our love this rough, sweet land make sure, 
Her bounds preserve inviolate, though we die ? 

O strong hearts of the North, 

Let flame your loyalty forth. 
And put the craven and base to an open shame 
Till earth shall know the Child of Nations by her name ! 

C. G. D. Roberts, 



CHAPTER IV 

THE STORY OF HENRY HUDSON 

When brave men first sailed across the broad Atlantic 
they had no thought of finding new lands. What they 
sought was a new way to the old and known land of 
India — a new way to the lands of spice and gold. When 
they reached America, many of those old sailors thought 
that they had reached India. But when the new land 
proved not to be India, they said, ' These are but islands. 
Let us sail beyond them and still reach India.' 

Not until many voyages had been made, not until 
the white- winged ships had been turned back again and 
again from the rocky shores of America, were men con- 
vinced at last that these were no islands, but a vast 
continent which barred tlie way. Then the vision of a 
new way to India took another shape. Then began the 
quest for a narrow inlet or passage round or through the 
great continent. By sailing north-westward it was 
hoped to find a way which, leading through snow and 
ice, should at last bring men beneath the glowing sun 
of India. And thus began the famous quest for the 
North- West Passage. So it was that Englishmen, instead 
of making use of the lands which Cabot had found and 
claimed, almost forgot that claim and gave their lives 
and spent their gold trying still to find the new way to 
the land of sunshine. 

Among the many brave men who sailed the seas in 



16 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

search of this passage we remember Henry Hudson, 
because he gave his name to a great inland sea in the 
north of America, and to the strait leading to it. 

Hudson sailed four times to the land of snow. He, 
too, like Cartier, met with Red Indians. On one voyage 
he gave them presents of hatchets, spades, and stockings. 
When he returned next time he was very much amused 
to find that the Indians had hung the spades and hatchets 
round their necks as ornaments, and had made tobacco- 
pouches of the stockings. Amid much laughter the 
Englishmen put handles on the spades and shafts to the 
hatchets, and showed the simple savages their proper use 
by digging the ground and cutting down trees. 

One story told about Hudson is interesting, be- 
cause it is very like a story found in English history. 
Perhaps Hudson had read that story when he was a 
little boy. 

It is said that once Hudson and his men landed. As 
usual, the Indians came about them, wondering at the 
great winged canoes and the pale faces of the men who 
had come in them. Hudson managed to make himself 
understood by the savages, and after a time he told them 
that he wanted some land as he would like to live there. 
The red men did not wish to give him any land. ' Then 
give me as much as this bullock skin will enclose,' said 
Hudson, throwing it down. 

* Yes, you may have that,' said the Redskins grinning 
and laughing at the white man's jest. 

Then Hudson and his men began to cut the skin 
round and round into a long rope no thicker than a 
child's finger, being careful always not to break the rope. 
When it was finished they spread it out in a great circle 
enclosing a large piece of land. 

The Indians were very much astonished when they 



THE STORY OF HENRY HUDSON 17 

saw how clever the white men were. They did not 
know that it was in this same way that the Britons had 
been cheated by the Saxons, hundreds of years before. 

On the 17th of April 1610 a.d., Hudson, in the good 
ship Discovery, sailed out from the Thames. He had 
started upon his last voyage from which he was never 
to return. Up to the north of Scotland steered the 
brave adventurers, then away to Greenland and the land 
of ice. When June came, and the birds were singing 
in the sunshine at home, these daring men were sailing a 
wintry sea where great ice-mountains floated. 

These ice-mountains were a terrible danger, for 
suddenly one would overturn and plunge into the sea. 
Had the little ship been near, it would have been crushed 
beneath the falling mass and sunk in the icy waters. 
So the sailors tried to steer away from them. But ever 
thicker and faster they gathered around the ship. 

With despair in his heart but keeping a brave face 
Hudson sailed on. But still thicker and thicker the 
cruel, white ice-mountains gathered. They were like a 
pack of hungry wolves eager to crush the frail little 
vessel between their angry jaws. At last the ship was 
so shut in that it could move no more. 

Then there were murmurs loud and angry among 
the crew. Hudson came to them. In his heart he 
never expected to see home again. Still he kept a brave 
face and tried to encourage his men. He brought his 
map and showed them that they had sailed further into 
the land of ice and snow than any Englishman had 
done before. Was that not something of which to be 
proud ? 

* Now will ye go on or will ye turn back ? ' he asked. 

' Would that we were at home, ay, anywhere if only 
out of this ice, 'they replied. 

B 



18 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

* Why has the master brought us to die like dogs in 
this Far North ? ' 

'Had I a hundred pounds I would give ninety of 
them to be at home.' 

'But nay,' said the carpenter, *had I a hundred 
pounds I would not give ten in such a cause. Rather 
would I keep my money, and by God's grace would 
bring myself and it safe home.' 

And so there was much useless talk and many angry 
words. But at length, leaving their grumbling, the men 
set to work to save the ship from the ice, and after much 
labour and time they cleared the ice-blocks and steered 
again into the open sea. 

Then once more they sailed onward escaping many 
dangers, enduring many hardships. Sometimes they saw 
land, sometimes there was only the sea around them. 
They suffered from cold and hunger too. In the ship at 
starting there was only food enough for six months. 
Now eight months had passed, it was November, and 
they were far from home. Their hands and feet were 
frost-bitten. Many of them fell ill and could work no 
more. 

Hudson did all he could. He took great care of the 
food which was left, and he offered rewards to any of 
the men who should kill beast, bird, or fish. For they 
could not hope to live to see home again unless that they 
found much wild game to help out their scanty store of 
food. At one time they caught many sea-fowl. At 
another they could only find moss and such poor plants 
as grew upon the snowy land. So the winter passed and 
spring came and their store of food grew less and less. 

They were fierce, unruly men, those daring sailors, 
and now they greeted their master with dark and sullen 
looks. They were starving, and they believed that he 




THESE CRUEL MEN MEANT TO TURN HUDSON ADRIFT ON THE ICT WATERS 



THE STORY OF HENRY HUDSON 19 

had stores of food which he kept hidden from them. So 
to quiet them Hudson served out a fortnight's bread at 
one time. But this made matters no better. They were 
so hungry that they could not make it last. The terrible 
gnawing pain was such that one man ate his whole fort- 
night's allowance in a day. 

Louder grew the murmurs, darker the looks with 
which the master was greeted. Men met and whispered 
together in dim corners. They would no longer wait, 
they would no longer suffer, and at last their wicked plans 
were made. As Hudson stepped on deck early one 
June morning, two men seized him, while a third pinned 
his arms behind. In a few minutes he was bound and 
helpless. 

' Men,' he cried, * what is this ? What do you mean ? ' 

* You will soon see,' they replied, ' when you get into 
the boat.' 

Then looking over the side Hudson saw the ship's 
boat ready launched. He understood. These cruel men 
meant to turn him adrift on the icy waters. 

But all were not against the master. One man who 
had a sword fought fiercely. But several of the 
mutineers threw themselves upon him and soon he too 
was bound. Another, the carpenter, had been kept 
prisoner below. Now he broke free and rushed on deck. 

* Men,' he cried, taking his stand beside the captain, 
*what are you doing? Do you all want to be hanged 
when you get home ? ' 

* I care not,' answered one ; * of the two I would 
rather hang at home than starve abroad.' 

* Come, let be, you shall stay in the ship,' said another. 

* I will not stay unless you force me,' boldly replied 
the carpenter as he faced the sullen, angry men. * I will 
rather take my fortune with my master.' 



20 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

' Go, then,' they said, * we will not hinder you.' 

Then the sick and the lame were dragged out of their 
cabins and thrust into the boat along with Hudson and 
his son who was but a boy of about sixteen. Only one of 
the sick they did not send away. He crawled to the 
cabin door, and there, on his knees, he prayed the 
mutineers to repent of what they were doing. * For the 
love of God,' he cried, ' do it not.' 

* Keep quiet,' they answered, * get into your cabin. 
No one is harming you.' 

At last, nine wretched men were packed into the little 
boat. Then the ship moved out of the ice dragging it 
behind. As they sailed slowly along, Hudson and the 
other poor fellows were not without hope that the 
mutineers would relent and take them aboard again. 
But there was no chance of that. Even while Hudson 
was still upon the ship, some of the sailors had begun to 
break open the chests and rifle the stores. Now all law 
and order was at an end. They seized upon the food 
like hungry wolves. They sacked the ship as if it had 
been the fortress of an enemy. There was no thought of 
taking aboard again the master who had held them in 
check. 

As they steered clear of the ice, a sailor leaned over 
the ship's side. He cut the rope which bound the little 
boat to the stern. Then they shook out their sails and 
fled as if from an enemy. Soon they vanished from 
sight, and the little boat was but a speck upon the cold 
grey waters. 

That little boat was never seen again. What became 
of brave Hudson and his son, of the gallant carpenter 
who stood by him, and of all the poor sick men thus 
cast adrift upon the icy waters, will never be known. 
Let us hope that death came to them quickly, that the 



THE STORY OF HENRY HUDSON 21 

blue waves upon which Hudson had loved to sail were 
kind to him, and that soon he found a grave beneath 
them. Where he Ues we cannot tell, but the great bay 
and strait which bear his name are a fitting monument 
for so gallant a sailor. 

Of the mutineers few reached home. Some were 
killed in a fight with savages. Others died from hunger 
and cold. The sufferings of those who remained were 
terrible. They had at length little to eat but candles. 
One of them, who lived to come home and who told the 
tale afterwards, said that the bones of a fowl fried in 
candle-grease and eaten with vinegar made a very good 
dish. 

At length the wretched men became so weak that 
they could no longer work the sails. Only one had 
strength to steer. They were but gaunt skeletons, 
haggard and pale, when their ship drifted to the coast of 
Ireland, and they at last reached home. 

As soon as they arrived in England they were all put 
in prison. But they were soon set free again. Perhaps 
the sufferings through which they had passed had been 
punishment enough even for their ill deeds. 

Our fathers died for England at the outposts of the world ; 

Our mothers toiled for England where the settlers' smoke upcurled ; 

By packet, steam, and rail, 

By portage, trek, and trail. 

They bore a thing called Honour in hearts that did not quail, 

Till the twelve great winds of heaven saw the scarlet sign unfurled. 

And little did they leave us of fame or land or gold ; 
Yet they gave us great possessions in a heritage untold ; 
For they said, ' Ye shall be clean. 
Nor ever false or mean. 

For God and for your country and the honour of your queen. 
Till ye meet the death that waits you with your plighted faith 
unsold. 



22 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

' We have fought the long great battle of the liberty of man^ 

And only ask a goodly death uncraven in the van ; 

We have journeyed travel- worn 

Through envy and through scorn, 

And the faith that was within us we have stubbornly upborne. 

For we saw the perfect structure behind the rough-hewn plan. 

' We have toiled by land and river, we have laboured on the sea ; 

If our blindness made us blunder, our courage made us free. 

We suffered or we throve, 

We delved and fought and strove ; 

But born to the ideals of order, law, and love. 

To our birthright we were loyal, and loyal shall ye be ! ' 

O England, little mother by the sleepless northern tide. 

Having bred so many nations to devotion, trust, and pride, 

Very tenderly we -turn 

With willing hearts that yearn 

Still to fence you and defend you, let the sons of men discern 

Wherein our right and title, might and majesty, reside. 

Bliss Carman. 



CHAPTER V 

THE FATHER OF NEW FRANCE 

While Englishmen were seeking the North- West Pas- 
sage, Frenchmen were working to found New France, 
for after Cartier, other men tried to found colonies in 
the lands beyond the seas. Each failed as Cartier had 
failed. But at last there came a man who was so deter- 
mined and so brave that he succeeded in doing what 
others had not been able to do. This man was Samuel 
de Champlain, often called the Father of New France. 

After the discovery of Newfoundland, sailors had 
been quick to find out what a splendid place it was for 
fishing. So men from all countries came to fish in the 
waters there. Others came to trade with the Indians 
for furs. But they all came and went again. None 
thought of making their home in that far-off land. 

At length a Frenchman, seeing what a lot of money 
might be made out of furs, asked the King of France 
to allow him alone to have the fur trade. This is called 
a monopoly. Monopoly comes from two Greek words, 
monos, alone, and polein, to sell. So if you yet a mono- 
poly of anything it means that you are the only person 
who is allowed to sell that thing to others. 

The King of France said this Frenchman might have 

a monopoly of furs if he would found a colony in New 

France. To this he agreed, and set sail with some 

friends. All the other fur merchants of France were, 

ss 



24 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

however, very angry, because they knew that if only 
one man was allowed to buy furs from the Indians and 
sell them to the French, he would become very rich and 
they poor. 

But the colony, which was now founded, did not suc- 
ceed any better than those before it had done. It was 
not until Champlain and some other adventurers came 
to help that things went better. Champlain was a 
soldier-sailor. He was brave, and wise, and kind too — 
just the very best sort of man to treat with savages and 
found a colony. 

Champlain did not at first go as a leader, but only to 
help two gentlemen called Poutrincourt and De Monts. 
Soon, however, it became plain that he was the real 
leader, and later he was made Governor of New France. 

Champlain and his friends landed first in Acadie. 
That is the part of the Dominion of Canada which we 
now call Nova Scotia. On an island at the mouth of 
the river St. Croix they built their fort, and prepared 
to spend the winter. But they soon found that they 
had chosen a very bad place. It was cold and barren. 
There was neither wood for fires nor fresh water to 
drink. So after passing a winter of pain and trouble, 
during which many died, they went over to the main- 
land, and there built their fort anew. There the city of 
AnnapoUs now stands. Then the colonists called it Port 
Royal. 

The new colony had a hard struggle. The second 
winter was almost as bad as the first. The settlers had 
eaten all the food which they had brought with them 
from France, and as the ships which they expected with 
more did not arrive, they began to starve. Then Cham- 
plain made up his mind to take all his people home to 
France. For he knew that it would be impossible to 



THE FATHER OF NEW FRANCE 25 

live through another winter without help. Two brave 
men offered to remain behind to take care of the fort 
until the others returned, and a friendly old Indian chief 
promised too to stay near. 

So good-byes were said ; the little ship sailed out of 
the bay, and the two brave men prepared to spend the 
long autumn and winter alone between the forest and 
the sea, far from any white man, and with only savages 
near. 

But about nine days after Champlain had sailed, the 
old chief saw a white sail far out to sea. The two 
Frenchmen were at dinner and did not notice it. The 
old chief stood for a little time watching the white sail 
as it came nearer and nearer. Then, in great excitement, 
he ran shouting to the fort, ' Why do you sit here ? ' he 
cried, bursting in upon the two men. * Why do you sit 
here and amuse yourselves eating, when a great ship with 
white wings is coming up the river ? ' 

In much astonishment and some dread the two men 
sprang up. One seized his gun and ran to the shore. 
The other ran to the cannon of the fort. Both were 
ready to fight as best they might should the strangers 
prove to be enemies. Eagerly they watched as the 
ship came on. Was it friend or was it foe, they asked 
themselves. At last it was quite near. At last they 
could see the white flag of France, with its golden Jleur-de- 
lis, floating from the mast. With fingers which trembled 
with joy, the man at the cannon put a match to the 
muzzle, and a roar of welcome awoke the echoes of the 
bay. 

Right glad were the newcomers to hear it, for they 
had been anxiously watching the fort which seemed so 
silent and deserted, and with thunder of guns and blare 
of trumpets they joyously replied. 



26 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Soon the little fort was full of busy life again, and 
Champlain, who had not gone far on his journey, hearing 
that help had come, turned back to join his friends again. 

Among the colonists who came in this ship was a 
lawyer from Paris, called Marc Lescarbot. He was 
very merry and gay. Always in good spirits himself, he 
kept others in good spirits too. After the newcomers 
had settled down, Champlain and some of the men sailed 
away to explore the country, leaving the others to take 
care of the fort. They worked hard, felling trees and 
digging the ground, cutting paths through the forest, 
and planting barley, wheat, and rye. But when work 
was done there was plenty of fun, for Lescarbot kept 
them merry. Among other things he prepared a play 
with which to greet the travellers when they came 
back. 

Champlain returned somewhat weary and disheartened. 
He had not succeeded in exploring much further than 
before. The Indians had proved unfriendly, and several 
of his men had been killed by them. So with the coming 
of winter he turned back to Port Royal. They arrived 
there one gloomy November afternoon. But those who 
had been left behind were watching for them. As 
Champlain and his men drew near they saw that the 
whole fort was a blaze of lights. 

Over the gateway hung the arms and motto of the 
King of France, wreathed with laurels. On either side 
hung those of De Monts and Poutrincourt, two of the 
leaders. The gate, as the travellers came near to it, 
opened, and out came no less a person than old Neptune, 
sitting upon a chariot drawn by Tritons. His hair and 
beard were long, a blue veil floated about him, and in 
his hand he held his trident, and so with music and 
poetry he welcomed the travellers from the sea. 



THE FATHER OF NEW FRANCE 27 

After Neptune came a canoe, in which were four 
savages, each with a gift in his hand. These they pre- 
sented, each in turn making a speech in poetry. Pout- 
rincourt, who entered into the game at once, listened to 
Lord Neptune, his Tritons and savages with drawn sword 
in hand. Then after he had made a speech of thanks, 
the Tritons and savages burst into song, and the re- 
turned travellers passed beneath the wreathed gateway 
to the sound of trumpets and the roar of cannon. 

Lescarbot wrote a history of New France in which 
he tells about all this. He gives there the poetry which 
was said and sung, not because it is very good poetry, he 
says, but because it shows that in that unknown country, 
far from friends and home, they were not sad. 

Thus the long, cold winter began, but Lescarbot had 
many devices for making the dark, dreary days pass 
merrily. He formed all the chief men of the colony 
into an order which he called the Order of Good Times. 
Each member was Grand Master of the order for one 
day. It was his duty to see to the meals during that 
day. Each Grand Master tried to manage better than 
the one before. He would hunt and fish and invent all 
sorts of dainties, so it came about that there was always 
enough to eat, and plenty of change, and as a result 
there was not so much sickness nor so many deaths as 
there had been during the winters before. 

The officers of the Order of Good Times did every- 
thing with great ceremony. When dinner-time came 
the Grand Master marched into the hall wearing his fine 
chain of office round his neck, a napkin over his shoulder, 
and a staff in his hand. He was followed by the Brethren, 
each carrying a dish which he placed upon the table. 
Then they all sat down to dine. At supper there was 
much the same ceremony. Then when it was over and the 



28 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

great wood fire burned and roared up the chimney, its 
flames dancing and flickering and making strange shadows 
upon the wall, songs were sung and stories were told. 
And in the circle which gathered round the glowing 
hearth, many a time a dark-skinned chieftain, gay in 
paint and feathers, might be seen sitting side by side with 
the French gentlemen-adventurers, who listened with 
delight to the quaint tales he told. Then the wine cup 
and the pipe went round, and when the last pipe was 
smoked, the last bowl empty, the Grand Master of the 
day, his duties done, would give up his chain of office 
to the Brother who should succeed him. And so with 
laughter and with song the dark days passed and spring 
came once more. 

With spring came bad news. The monopoly had 
been withdrawn. The colony must be given up. Sad 
at heart, the colonists left their new home, which they 
had worked so hard to found, and went back to France. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE FOUNDING OF QUEBEC 

The little colony at Port Royal had to be given up, 
but in less than a year Champlain was back again. This 
time he did not go to Acadie but to the St. Lawrence. 
Up the great river he sailed, until he reached a place 
called, in the Indian language, Kebec, which means 
the narrows. There, on 3rd July 1608 a.d., he landed. 
The first tree was felled upon that wild and unknown 
river bank, and on the rocky heights above, the founda- 
tions of the first house of the town of Quebec were dug. 
Once again a few brave, white men built their home, and 
settled down to live far from their friends, among the 
wild Indians. 

The Red Indians were divided roughly into two great 
tribes, the Iroquois and the Algonquins. These two tribes 
hated each other bitterly and were nearly always at war. 
Both the Iroquois and the Algonquins were divided into 
clans or families, each clan having its own name. But 
in war they all took sides, either with the Iroquois or 
with the Algonquins. The Iroquois are sometimes 
called the Five Nations, from the five chief clans of 
which they were made up. They are also sometimes 
called the Long House from the shape of their huts. 

The Red Indians were among the most fierce and 
cruel of all savages. After a battle they held wild orgies, 
at which the prisoners were tortured with dreadful cruelty, 



80 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

and which often ended with a sickening feast upon 
the dead bodies of the enemy. One of the horrible 
things they did was to scalp their enemies, that is, with 
their stone hatchets, called tomahawks, they would cut 
off part of the skin of the head with the hair upon it. 
The more scalps a warrior could gather the greater and 
braver was he thought. Often a chiefs cloak would be 
decorated with a fringe of the scalps which he had taken. 

Before the Indians went to battle, they would paint 
their faces and bodies and often shave their heads, but 
the * scalp lock ' was always left as a kind of challenge 
and defiance to the enemy. 

Champlain was filled with two great ideas ; to found a 
colony, by means of which the fur trade might be carried 
on, and to explore and claim for France the vast unknown 
regions of Canada. He saw that to do this he must be 
Mendly with one or other of the tribes of Indians. The 
Algonquins had their homes along the St. Lawrence and 
around Quebec, so Champlain made friends with them, 
and promised to help them in their battles against the 
Iroquois. But Champlain did not know then, as he 
found out later, that the Iroquois were far stronger and 
more clever than the Algonquins. 

About a year after the founding of Quebec, Champlain 
set out with the Algonquins to help them against their 
enemies, as he had promised. They travelled together, 
Champlain and two or three Frenchmen in a flat-bottomed 
boat and the Indians in their canoes, far up the River 
Richlieu and along the lake since called Lake Champlain. 
All went well for some time. Then one day the Red 
Men had a quarrel among themselves, and in hot anger 
more than half of them went home, leaving only about 
sixty braves to fight the enemy. These however went 
on, nothing daunted, every day coming nearer and nearer 



THE FOUNDING OF QUEBEC 31 

the country of the Iroquois. Then they travelled with 
great caution, paddling up the river during the night, and 
hiding in the forests the most of the day. At last one even- 
ing they saw a great crowd of canoes filled with savages 
coming towards them. These were Iroquois. Each side 
greeted the other with yells of hatred. They did not, 
however, begin to fight at once, but spent the night 
dancing, singing, and shouting insults at each other. 

When day came Champlain and his few white men 
lay down in the bottom of the canoes to watch the 
savages land and begin the fight. Both sides advanced 
slowly, uttering their horrible war shout or scalp cry, 
*aw-oh-aw-oh-aw-o-o-o-o-h.' But suddenly the ranks of 
the Algonquins opened, and Champlain with his loaded 
gun marched down the centre. The Iroquois, who had 
never before seen a white man, paused in fear and 
astonishment. Champlain took aim, fired, and two 
chiefs fell dead. Then the fear which took hold upon 
the savages was great indeed. What was this awful 
thunder and lightning which struck men dead in a 
moment ? They knew not. Never before had they seen 
such magic. Champlain paused to reload, and one of 
his men fired. Again a savage fell dead. Then fear was 
turned into wild terror. The Red Men took to their 
heels and ran madly to the shelter of the forest, pursued 
by their shrieking, victorious enemies. 

So ended the first battle between the French and the 
Indians. It was fought at a place called Ticonderoga, 
which means the meeting of the waters, and which after- 
wards became famous for another great battle. 

The Algonquins took many prisoners, whom they 
treated with abominable cruelty. Champlain at last 
cried out in horror against it, and himself shot one 
prisoner dead, rather than see him tortured more. 



32 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

To the French this battle was but the firing of a few 
shots. To the Iroquois it meant the beginning of a 
bitter hatred, a hatred which was never to be allowed to 
sleep. Ever after this day they were the enemies of the 
French and the friends of their old foes, the English. 



CHAPTER VII 

HOW A BOLD ANSWER SAVED QUEBEC 

Quebec was founded, and for many years the little 
colony struggled on in the face of difficulties. There 
were many comings and goings between France and 
New France. Again and again Champlain crossed the 
sea to plead his cause with king and councillors, with 
merchant and with prince. But in spite of all his pains 
and trouble, New France grew but slowly, and after 
twenty years Quebec was still hardly more than a village. 

Besides founding a colony, Champlain wished to 
make the wild Red Indians Christian. ' To save a soul,' 
he said, *is of more importance than to conquer a 
kingdom.' So he brought priests and ministers from 
France, and tried to teach the heathen about Christ. 
But already Christian people had begun to quarrel 
among themselves about religion. They were divided 
into two parties. Those who kept to the old religion 
were called Roman Catholics, those who followed the 
new were called Protestants. In France the Protestants 
were called Huguenots. 

At first both Roman Catholics and Huguenots came 
to New France. But they hated each other. Even on 
board ship while they were sailing over the sea to teach 
the heathen to love each other, they would quarrel, and 
the quarrel often ended in a fight. Then the sailors 
would gather round to watch, some crying, * Down with 
the Huguenots,' others, ' Down with the Papists.' The 



34 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

sailors thought that it was good fun, but it made Cham- 
plain sad. * I know not which was the bravest, or which 
hit hardest,' he says, ' but I leave you to think if it was 
very pleasant to behold.' 

On land things were not much better, and once, when 
a minister and a priest died at the same time, the sailors 
buried them in one grave 'to see,' they said, 'whether 
being dead they would remain in peace, since they could 
so little agree whilst living.' 

At last, for several reasons, the King of France 
forbade any Huguenots to go to New France. This was 
a pity, for the Huguenots were good merchants, many 
of them were rich, and they would have been a great help 
to the new colony. Besides, the Huguenots were ready 
to go through much toil and to suffer many hardships for 
the sake of their religion. Had they been allowed to 
worship God in their own way in the new land, many 
would have gone there gladly, and the colony would 
have grown quickly. On the other hand the French 
Catholics had to be persuaded to go, as they were quite 
comfortable at home. So the colony grew slowly. 

At this time the Stuart kings were ruling in Great 
Britain. They too, like the French king, tried to force 
all their people to be of one religion. But the people 
would not be forced, so many of them sailed away over 
the sea to the New World in the hope of finding freedom. 
They found it too, for although the Stuart kings were 
despots at home, they allowed much freedom to the 
colonies, indeed they paid little attention to them. So 
it came about that the British colonies grew much faster 
than the French. And soon the British wanted all the 
land in North America, even Canada which the French 
claimed. 

In the year 1628 France and Britain were at war. 



HOW A BOLD ANSWER- SAVED QUEBEC 85 

For the people in Quebec, the winter had been long and 
hard. Nearly all the food which the colonists had had 
was eaten, and Champlain was anxiously looking for 
more from home, when bad news reached him. He 
heard that British ships were sailing up the river seizing 
all the French ships they met. A farm upon which 
Quebec depended for food had been attacked and burned, 
and all the cattle carried off. This was bad news indeed. 
As soon as Champlain heard it he prepared for battle. 
Each man in the fort was given a post. Guns were 
loaded and the walls strengthened as well as might be. 
When evening fell every man was ready for the foe. 

That night all was quiet, but next day a little boat 
flying a white flag was seen sailing up the river. It 
brought a letter from Captain Kirke, the leader of the 
British ships. Calling all his chief men together, Cham- 
plain read the letter aloud to them. 

It was very polite. It told how Captain Kirke had 
been sent by the King of Great Britain to take possession 
of all the country of Canada. It told how he had already 
taken many ships, and how, knowing that there was but 
little food within the walls of Quebec, he had also 
destroyed the farm. * And in order that no vessel may 
reach you, I have made up my mind to stay here till the 
end of the season so that you may get no more food. 
Therefore see what you wish to do, if you intend to give 
up the settlement or not. For, God aiding, sooner or 
later I must have it. I would desire for your sake that 
it would be by courtesy rather than by force, to avoid 
the blood which might be spilt on both sides. 

* Send me word what you desire to do. 
* Waiting your reply, I remain, gentlemen, 
* Your affectionate servant, 

* David Kirke.* 



36 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

What was to be done ? Yield ? There was but fifty 
pounds of powder in all the fort, and hardly any food. 
Seven ounces of peas was all that was served out to each 
man daily. Weak, pale and thin, the French could not 
hope to hold out against the British for more than a few 
hours. But their hearts were stout and strong. Not a 
man was willing to yield without a struggle. 

*If Captain Kirke wants to see us near at hand,' 
they said, ' he had better come, and not threaten us from 
so far off.' 

Then Champlain sat down and wrote as bold and 
polite a letter as that he had received. ' My fort is well 
furnished with food,' he said. * It and we are in good 
condition to resist you. My soldiers and I would 
deserve severe punishment from God and man did we 
yield without a fight. We will await you from hour to 
hour, and when you come will try to show you that you 
have no claim to our fort. Upon which I remain, sir, 
Your affectionate servant, Champlain.' 

The letter was sealed and sent, and each man stood 
to his post, ready to sell his life as dearly as might be. 
But boldness won the day. When Captain Kirke read 
the letter he sat gravely thinking. No man, it seemed 
to him, who was in great straits would have answered as 
Champlain had answered. He must have been deceived. 
He was not strong enough to risk a siege and perhaps a 
defeat. So up sails, and away sped handsome, swaggering 
Captain Kirke, down stream. 

The brave hearts at Quebec waited hour by hour for 
death which did not come. And at last the good news, 
that the British had sailed away, was brought to them. 
They were saved. 



CHAPTER VIII 

HOW THE UNION JACK WAS HOISTED UPON THE 
FORT OF ST. LOUIS 

By his boldness, Champlain had saved Quebec. But 
almost at once another misfortune fell upon the brave 
little garrison. As Kirke sailed down the river he met 
a fleet of ships bringing food, powder, shot, fresh soldiers 
and colonists to Quebec. These he attacked and after 
a desperate fight he captured every one of them. Some 
of the ships Kirke burned and sank, two he sent back to 
France with the new colonists who had just come from 
there, and the rest he carried in triumph to England. 

Months went on. In those days news travelled but 
slowly. The little garrison at Quebec knew nothing of 
what had happened to their ships, and they waited in 
vain for the promised food from home. The men 
haunted the woods for roots and berries. They trapped 
wild animals and fished the river. But soon they had 
few hooks or lines left and their powder they dared 
hardly use for killing game. It was a terrible time. 
The little children in the fort cried with hunger, and 
their mothers had nothing to give them. At last the 
famine became so dreadful that some of the settlers left 
the fort and went to live among the wild Indians until 
help should come. 

Then one July morning a ship came sailing up the 
river. A white flag, in sign of peace, floated from the 
mast. Champlain, as soon as he saw it, hoisted a white 

ST 



38 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

flag upon the fort too. The ship came to anchor. A 
little boat put off and made for the shore. A young 
British officer sprang to land and asked to be led to 
Governor Champlain. He was the bearer of a letter 
from Kirke's two brothers, Louis and Thomas. 

* Sir,' said this letter, * our brother told you last year 
that sooner or later he would have Quebec. He has 
charged us to assure you of his friendship as we do of 
ours. Knowing very well the extreme need in which 
you are, he desires that you shall surrender the fort to 
us. We assure you that you will receive every courtesy 
from us, and honourable terms.' 

The state of the garrison was desperate. Yet 
Champlain would not give in without a struggle. So 
he sent a priest to talk to Louis and Thomas Kirke. 
But nothing he could say would move the swaggering, 
recldess British sailors. 

* If Champlain gives up the keys of the fortress,' said 
Louis, * we will treat you well and send you all home to 
France. If he will not give them up peaceably we will 
take them by force.' 

* Give us fifteen days' grace then,' begged the priest. 
*No.' 

'Eight days.' 

*No sir, not a day. I know well your miserable 
condition. You are all starving. Your people have 
gone to gather roots in the forest lest you die of 
hunger.' 

* Still give us a few days,' begged the priest. 

* No, no,' said Thomas, * yield the fort or I shall ruin 
it with my cannon.' 

* I want to sleep within it to-night,' said Louis, * and if 
I do not I shall waste the whole country round.' 

* Have a care,' said the priest proudly. * You deceive 



HOW THE UNION JACK WAS HOISTED 39 

yourselves if you think that you can win the fort so 
easily. There are a hundred men within it well armed 
and ready to sell their lives as dearly as may be. You 
may not conquer so easily. You may find defeat and 
death instead of victory. Once more I warn you. Be 
careful.' 

Once again, as a year before, bold words had an effect. 
Thomas and Louis Kirke hesitated. Could it really be 
as the priest said? Was the garrison still so strong? 
They were doubtful what to do, so they asked the 
priest to go aside a little while they talked to their 
officers. These all agreed that Champlain must be made 
to give in at once. * Let him have three hours in which 
to make up his mind,' they said. 

So the priest returned to the fort with this sad news. 
Champlain now saw that it was useless to hold out any 
longer. Indeed it was worse than useless, for if he 
yielded without firing a shot the Kirkes had promised 
that every man should be spared, but if they resisted 
they need hope for no mercy. Champlain had only 
fifty men and they were weak and ill. There was not 
ten pounds of flour left in the fort and hardly any gun- 
powder. To fight would only mean the throwing away 
of life. So he decided to yield. 

But the people were angry. They still believed that 
they could fight the British. * Even if we lose the fort,' 
they said, ' let us show them that we have courage.' 

' How can you be so foolish ? ' replied Champlain. 
*Are you tired of living? We cannot hope to win. 
We have no food, no powder or shot, and no hope of 
getting any. Would you throw your lives away ? ' 

Truly, how could the strongest fort hold out when 
within its walls there were neither soldiers, shot, nor 
food? 



40 OUR EMPIKE STOHY 

When at last the bitter talk, this way and that, was 
over, it was evening, so no more could be done that 
night. The worn-out garrison spent a last sad night 
within the fort. The British lay in their ship opposite. 
Next morning Champlain stepped on board the waiting 
vessel. There he gave up the keys and signed away his 
right to the town which he had founded, and cherished, 
and loved. So without the firing of a shot Quebec 
became a British possession. The fleur-de-lis of France 
was hauled down from the Fort St. Louis, as the house 
which Champlain had built for himself was called, and in 
its place floated the Union Jack. 

This is called the first siege of Quebec, although it was 
really no siege, for not a shot was fired. 

In their own rough way the conquerors treated Cham- 
plain with courtesy. They made a list of all that was 
found in the fort and gave Champlain a receipt for it. 
*As for a list of provisions,' said Kirke, with grim 
humour, * we will not need to waste paper and ink upon 
it. I am not sorry, for it is a great pleasure to us to 
give you all that you need.' 

*I thank you,' said Champlain bitterly, *but you 
make us pay dearly for it.' 

Some of the Frenchmen went back to France, others 
chose to remain with their new masters. Louis Kirke took 
possession of Quebec and Thomas sailed triumphantly 
homeward with the spoils of war. But his triumph 
was short-lived, for as he landed, he was greeted with 
the news that in April peace between France and Great 
Britain had been signed. Quebec had been taken in 
July. It must therefore be handed back to France, 
as it had been taken unlawfully when the two countries 
were at peace. 

But Charles i. did not lightly let go what he had 



HOW THE UNION JACK WAS HOISTED 41 

seized. He was bland and courteous, promised much 
and delayed much. Meanwhile the British kept posses- 
sion of Quebec and of Canadian fur trade. Not until 
three years had come and gone did Champlain once more 
land upon the shores of his beloved New France as 
governor. He was then sixty-six years old. As a 
soldier, as a sailor, as a traveller and explorer, he had 
suffered all the hardships of life. He had endured bitter 
cold, scorching heat, wounds and famine, but, in spite of 
all, he was as eager as ever to fight and labour for New 

France. 

If Champlain was glad to return, his people were no 
less glad to receive him. Frenchmen and Indian alike 
joined to welcome him home. As the grey-haired 
governor stepped on shore the air was rent with cheers. 
Then with drums beating and colours flying they led 
him up the steep and winding pathway to his old fort 
of St. Louis. There once more he received the keys 
which three years before he had given up with so much 
bitterness of heart. 

Three years later, after nearly thirty years of labour 
and hardship, Champlain died. He died as he would 
have wished, in the service of his country, still Governor 
of New France. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE FEAST OF EAT-EVERYTHING 

After Champlain came many rulers. Some of them 
were strong and brave, others were weak and foolish. 
All of them had to fight against their deadly enemies 
the Iroquois; and for many years the story of New 
France was one of suffering and terror. The hate of the 
Ked Man never rested, and time after time he fell upon 
the French with savage strength. He swept through 
the land, leaving behind him a memory of blood and 
torture. 

When the whites first came to Canada, the Indians 
were as wild and ignorant as our forefathers had been 
when the Romans first landed upon the shores of Britain. 
In some ways, indeed, the Red Man was more savage, 
for the Britons in that far-off time had swords of iron 
and copper. The Red Man knew nothing of metals. 
His tomahawk was of stone, the head being fastened to a 
wooden handle by thongs of leather. His arrow heads 
were of flint. His greatest treasure was * wampum,' that 
is, beads made of shells. These beads were used for 
making belts, and a belt of wampum was the grandest 
present which an Indian could give to any one. 

The Indian soon found out that for a few skins he 
could buy shining steel axes and long, keen knives from 
the Pale faces. For many skins he could buy the magic 
sticks which spoke death at great distance. And the 

4S 



THE FEAST OF EAT-EVERYTHING 43 

Red Man was clever. He learned quickly. Soon he 
was as good a shot as the white man. Then the rattle 
and bang of firearms was added to the war-cry of the 
Indian, and the wonder is that the few white men were 
not swept from the face of Canada. Indeed, it seemed 
at times as if it was not the courage of soldiers and 
settlers, but of the priests, which kept them from being 
utterly blotted out. Champlain was a very religious 
man, and many priests had come with him, until 
Canada had seemed more of a mission than a settle- 
ment. The early story of Canada is full of the brave 
deeds of the * black robes,' as the Indians called the 
priests. 

In 1642 Montreal was founded at the place which, 
a hundred years before, Cartier had called Mount Royal. 
It was founded, not by traders, but by men with the 
zeal of saints and the spirit of martyrs. It was founded 
by men eager to carry the news of the story of Christ to 
the wild heathen, and both ready and eager to die for 
the Cross. Some of these brave priests went far into 
the country, among the tribe called the Hurons, teaching 
them to be Christian. For many years they lived and 
worked among them. But the Iroquois, who were the 
deadly enemies of French and Hurons alike, waged war 
against these missions. They ravaged and slew, burned 
and tortured, until the Hurons as a nation were utterly 
destroyed. The few who remained fled, seeking shelter 
now with one tribe now with another. But wherever 
they fled the Iroquois followed, and at last by famine 
and war, the race was blotted out. 

Many of the brave priests found the death of martyrs. 
Those who were left returned sadly to Quebec, taking 
with them a few remaining Huron converts. They had 
worked hard and endured much ; and at the end of 



44 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

fifteen years they had nothing to show for all their suffer- 
ing and struggle. 

The Iroquois were fierce, and strong, and treacherous. 
They cared not what means they used, so long as their 
enemies were tortured and killed. Now one of the Five 
Nations pretended that they would be pleased if some of 
the * black robes ' would come to live among them, and 
teach them as they had taught the Hurons. The French 
could hardly believe that these fierce enemies really 
wanted to be taught. But they were glad at the thought 
of peace, and about fifty brave men, ten only of whom were 
soldiers, resolved to go and live among the Iroquois. 

They were received with much joy. The savages 
danced and feasted, smoked the pipe of peace, sang songs, 
and made speeches, and pretended to be so glad that one 
of the priests said, * If after this they murder us, it will 
be from changeableness and not from treachery.' But he 
little knew the blackness of the Iroquois heart. 

Soon the forest rang with the sound of axe and 
hammer as the Frenchmen, priest and soldier alike, 
worked side by side to build their new homes. Mean- 
while another of the Five Nations heard what the 
French priests had done, and they were angry and 
jealous. In their anger they took to their war-canoes, 
and paddhng down the St. Lawrence to the Isle of 
Orleans they attacked, killed, and took prisoner, the 
helpless Hurons who were now living there. Before the 
town of Quebec the whole river was black with canoes 
filled with naked savages, howling, dancing, and singing. 
And as they howled and yelled they taunted the gover- 
nor, making a great show of their prisoners, who were 
the white men's friends. And the governor, who was 
weak and fearful, dared do nothing. He dared not fire a 
shot to protect his red-skinned friends, lest their savage 



THE FEAST OF EAT-EVERYTHING 45 

foes should revenge themselves by attacking the brave 
priests who had gone to live among the Iroquois. At 
last, tired of insulting the helpless Frenchmen, and full of 
scorn and contempt for the white man, the Indians paddled 
away up the river with their prisoners. 

Days and weeks went past ; the priests who had gone 
to Hve among the Iroquois taught, and worked, and 
prayed. In the great forest this handful of white men 
lived alone among the prowling savages, * who came like 
foxes, fought like lions, and disappeared like birds ' — but 
strong in their faith they had no fear. 

At length, however, dark whispers of treachery came 
to them. Friendly Indians warned them that the chiefs 
had met in council, and had vowed to kill them all. The 
black robes found it hard to believe that the men who 
treated them with such smiling kindness meant to kill 
them. But they were not left long in doubt, for a dying 
Indian, repenting of his treachery, told them all the plot. 
Every man was to be killed before the spring. 

The Frenchmen now knew that they must escape, 
and that quickly. But how ? All day long the Indians 
strolled about, following their every step, watching their 
every movement, in make-believe friendliness. At night 
they slept around the gate of the mission, ready to spring 
awake at the slightest sound. To try to escape through 
the forest was impossible. There was but one hope, and 
that was to cross the lake near which the mission was 
built and sail down the river to Montreal. But to do 
this they needed boats, and they had only eight canoes, 
which were not nearly enough to carry them all. 

The Frenchmen were desperate but not hopeless. 
Over the mission-house there was a large loft. There 
the Indians seldom came, and there the priests began 
in secret to build two large boats. They were soon 



46 OUR EMPIRE STORT 

ready. The next thing was to find, or make, a chance to 
use them. 

Among the Frenchmen was a young man of whom 
the Indian chief had become very fond. One morning 
he went to the chief pretending to be in great trouble. 
' I have had a dream, my father,' he said. * It has been 
shown to me by the Great Spirit that I shall certainly 
die. Nothing can save me but a magic feast.' 

The Indians believed very much in dreams. They 
thought that those who did not do as they told them 
would be sorely punished. So the chief at once replied : 
* Thou art my son. Thou shalt not die. We shall have 
a feast, and we shall eat every morsel.' 

These magic feasts were called Feasts-of-eat-every- 
thing. At them each guest was bound to eat all that 
was set before him. No matter how much he had eaten, 
no matter how ill he felt, he was bound to go on until 
the person whose feast it was said he might stop. 

As soon as the day was fixed the priests set to work 
with right good will to make a great feast. They killed 
their pigs, they brought the nicest things out of their 
stores, they concocted the most tempting dishes. But 
the chief thing they thought of was to have a great 
quantity. 

The evening came. Great fires were lit around the 
mission-house. About them the Indians gathered. First 
there were games, dances, and songs. One game was to 
see who should make the most noise by screaming and 
yelling. The Frenchmen gave a prize to whoever could 
yell loudest, so that the savages exhausted themselves 
trying to win the prize. At last, wearied with their 
efforts, they all sat down in a circle. Great steaming 
pots were brought from the fires, and each man's wooden 
basin was filled. As soon as they were empty they were 



THE FEAST OF EAT-EVERYTHING 47 

filled again and yet again. The Indians were hungry, 
and they ate greedily. While they gorged the French- 
men beat drums, blew trumpets, and sang songs, 
making as much noise as they could. This they did to 
cover any strange sound that might come from the shade 
of the forest to the sharp ears of the savages. For in the 
darkness, beyond the glare of the firelight, a few white 
men were straining every muscle to carry the heavy 
boats unseen and unheard to the lake. With beating 
hearts and held breath, now stopping fearfully, now 
hurrying onward, they reached the lake. The boats 
were safely launched. 

The hours went on, and still the feast did not end. 
The gorged savages could eat no more. * Is it not 
enough ? ' they cried. * Have pity on us and let us 
rest.' 

* Nay,' replied the young Frenchman, * you must eat 
everything. Would you see me die ? ' 

And although the Indians meant to kill him, perhaps 
the very next day, they still ate on, for this was a magic 
feast. It had been ordered in a dream by the Great 
Spirit whom they must obey. Making strange faces, 
rolling their eyes wildly, choking, gulping, they ate till 
they could not move. 

*That will do,' said the young man at last. *You 
have saved my life. Now you may sleep. And do not 
rise early to-morrow. Rest till we come to waken you 
for prayers. Now we will play sweet music to send you 
to sleep.' 

Stupid with over-eating, dazed with drink, the savages 
slept. For a little time one of the Frenchmen played 
softly on a guitar. Soon loud snores told him that there 
was no more need of his music, and he crept silently to 
the boats. Meantime the priests had fastened the doors 



48 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

and windows of the mission-house, and locked the gate 
in the high fence which surrounded it. Then one by one 
they ghded stealthily to the boats, until the last man 
was safe aboard. 

It was March and still very cold, and now snow 
began to fall so that their footprints were covered over. 

The lake was still lightly frozen over, and as the first 
boat pushed off men leaned from the bow and broke 
the ice with hatchets. The rowers pulled with all their 
strength, forcing the boat through the shattered ice. 
The second boat followed in its track. Last of all came 
the canoes. Thus they crossed the lake, and reaching 
the river were soon carried swiftly down stream. On 
and on they went through the dark night, fleeing from 
death, and torture worse than death. When the sun 
rose, shedding pale wintry gleams on dark forest and 
swift-flowing stream, they were far away. 

All through the night the Indians slept their sleep of 
gluttony. When late in the morning they awoke they 
still felt dull and stupid. But at last arousing them- 
selves they found that all around was still and silent. 
No sound came from the mission-house, no smoke rose 
from its chimney. What could it mean ? 

Full of curiosity the Indians pressed their faces 
against the fence, trying to see through the cracks in 
the wood. There was nothing to see. A dog barked in 
the house, a cock crew in the yard. All else was still. 

At last, impatient to know what was happening 
within, the Indians climbed the fence, burst open the 
door, and entered the house. It was empty. 

Great was the anger of the savages, greater still their 
astonishment. How could the Black Robes have escaped ? 
they asked themselves. They had no boats, so they 
could not escape by water. There was iio trace of them 



THE FEAST OF EAT-EVERYTHING 49 

on land, so they had not escaped by the forest. There 
was only one explanation. This was the work of the 
Great Spirit. The Black Robes and their followers had 
flown away through the air during the night. And with 
this thought, fear fell upon the heart of the Red Man. 

Meanwhile the Black Robes were speeding on their 
way down the river. On and on they went, hardly 
pausing for rest, until a month later they reached 
Quebec. They were saved, but the mission had been an 
utter failure. 



D 



CHAPTER X 

A KNIGHT OF NEW FRANCE 

' Where a northern river charges 
By a wild and moonlit glade, 
From the murky forest marges. 
Round a broken palisade, 
I can see the red man leaping. 
See the sword of Daulac sweeping, 
And the ghostly forms of heroes 
Fall and fade.' 

A. Lampman. 

The Red Terror grew and spread. There seemed no 
hope of taming the savage, no safety for the white man 
but within stone walls. At last the Iroquois began to 
gather in force, swearing to sweep through Canada and 
utterly crush their enemies. 

Then it was that a little band of seventeen brave 
men went out to fight the savages. They were headed 
by a young French noble of twenty-five, named Adam 

Daulac. . 

In olden days, when knights rode forth agamst tell 
giants and awful beasts, they spent the night in some 
quiet church, kneeling in prayer. So now these brave 
men, who knew that they were going to certam death, 
knelt for the last time in the little wooden church of 
Montreal, confessed their sins and received the holy 
sacrament. Then, after a solemn farewell, with the 
prayers and blessings of the people ringing m their ears. 



A KNIGHT OF NEW FRANCE 51 

they rowed slowly up the river and passed from sight. 
They were knights, as true and fearless as ever laid lance 
in rest. 

Up the stream they rowed, beneath the bending 
branches of dark and ancient trees, through wild and 
almost unknown regions, until they came to a ruined 
and deserted Indian fort. Here they resolved to await 
the foe, and here they were joined by some thirty friendly 
Indians. 

They had not long to wait. Soon a whole fleet of 
war canoes, filled with two hundred yelling savages, came 
leaping down the rapids. The Frenchmen had not 
expected the enemy so soon. They were taken by 
surprise, and were outside the fort, cooking their dinner 
by some fires which they had just lit. So suddenly had 
the savages come upon them that they had no time even 
to seize their pots and kettles, but were obliged to leave 
them behind and run for the fort. 

The Indians expected an easy victory, but from 
behind their ruinous fort the Frenchmen met them with 
such a steady fire, that the savages fell back in confusion. 

The Indians then began to build a fort opposite the 
French camp. While they were busy with this, the 
Frenchmen strengthened and repaired their own fort. 
They heightened the wooden palings and strengthened 
them with earth and stones, leaving loopholes all round 
through which to fire upon the enemy. But before 
the work was finished the Indians were upon them 
again. 

Calmly the Frenchmen awaited the attack. At the 
word of command their guns rang out. Every shot told, 
many a savage warrior fell dead, and, seized with a name- 
less terror, the others fled. But again and again they 
rallied, again and again they returned to the attack. 



52 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

answering the cannonade of the Frenchmen with a hail 
of bullets. Then seeing that in spite of all their efforts 
they could not take the fort by storm, they made up 
their minds to burn it. With yells of savage glee they 
seized upon the Frenchmen's boats, smashing them to 
pieces before their eyes. Of the splintered fragments 
they made torches, and each man carrying a flaring, 
smoking light, they rushed to the wooden walls of the 
fort. But the fire of the Frenchmen was so sharp, 
their aim so true and deadly, that not a savage got near 
enough the fort to set it on fire. 

The fight went on. At length the savage chief 
was shot. Then fury of revenge and desire of blood 
maddened the Iroquois. Night and day they howled 
and yelled around the little fort. Night and day the 
Frenchmen fought and prayed by turns. Worn by want 
of sleep, tortured by hunger and thirst, shivering with 
cold they still fought on. They had nothing to eat but 
a coarse kind of meal made from Indian corn. They had 
nothing at all to drink. With blackened tongues and 
dry, parched throats it became impossible to swallow 
the meal. Frantic with thirst, a few made a rush for 
the river. For two hundred yards they ran through the 
spattering fire of the enemy. They risked death for a 
few drops of water. For their big kettles and pans had 
all fallen into the hands of the savages, and they had only 
cups in which to carry the water, and what they brought 
back was scarcely enough to wet the lips of the gasping 
garrison. 

For seven days the terrible fight lasted. The French- 
men's supply of shot was growing smaller and smaller. 
They knew that they could not hold out much longer. 
The friendly Indians grew weary of the struggle, and 
they leapt over the wall and fled to join the enemy. So 



A KNIGHT OF NEW FRANCE 53 

the seventeen Frenchmen were left with only five Indians 
to help them against hundreds. 

On the seventh day of the siege the air rang with 
cries more loud and savage than before, and the earth, 
and river, and sky, seemed to tremble with the echo and 
re-echo of gun shots. Five hundred more savages had 
arrived, and their war-cries mingled with the shouts of 
welcome from their friends. 

Armed with new courage, the whole force of nearly 
seven hundred savages rushed to the attack. But every 
loophole of the fort belched forth fire, and many a Red- 
skin fell. Half dead though they were with want and 
weariness, the Frenchmen still fought fiercely. Three 
more days passed, days of prayer and agony within the 
fort, while without, thrown back again and again by the 
steady fire, the dark savages surged and yelled. 

At last the Indians made a yet more determined 
assault. Protected by huge wooden shields, which 
covered them from head to heel, they rushed upon the 
fort with axe and firebrand. In spite of the Frenchmen's 
fire, the savages were able now to reach the walls. There 
they hacked and burned trying to make an entrance. 

The case of the defenders was now desperate. Daulac 
then made a bomb by setting a slow match to a small 
barrel of gunpowder. This he tried to throw over the 
wall, hoping that it would explode among the Indians. 
But the Frenchmen were weak with famine and weari- 
ness. They could not throw the barrel high enough. It 
caught upon the top of the wall, and rolling back, burst 
within the fort, wounding many and blinding others, so 
that for a few minutes they could not see to fight. 

In the confusion which followed, more Indians crowded 
to the walls, and they gained possession of the loopholes. 
One moment showed their savage, triumphant faces in 



54 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

the openings, the next the shining barrels of their guns 
gleamed there, and a hot rain of bullets showered upon 
the Frenchmen. Shut within the encircling walls, there 
was little for them but to die. 

A moment later the men, who had been hacking at 
the walls, succeeded in making a breach. Indians poured 
through it, others scrambled over. On all sides the 
Frenchmen were surrounded. Dearly they sold their 
lives. Muskets were thrown aside, with sword in one 
hand and knife in the other they fought the yelling 
fiends, till the dead lay thick about them. At length 
the ghastly fight was over, and the last white man fell 
dead upon the heaps of slain. Thus fighting against 
fearful odds, died valiant Daulac and his brave followers. 
Nor did these gallant Frenchmen die in vain. It was a 
splendid defeat, far more glorious than many a victory. 
It saved their fellow-countrymen in Canada. * If seven- 
teen white men behind a wooden fence can hold seven 
hundred warriors at bay, what will they not do behind 
stone walls ? ' the Indians asked. And so, cowed for the 
time, they turned homewards to mourn their dead and 
await a day of revenge. 



CHAPTER XI 

THE BEGINNING OF THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY 

After Henry Hudson, many English explorers sailed 
for Hudson's Bay seeking the North- West Passage. 
They suffered much and learned little. Then, as if 
weary with the cruel struggle with ice and snow, these 
bold adventurers ceased their voyages for a time, and not 
for forty years did a British ship steer its way among the 
icebergs of the great inland sea. Then again adventurers 
sailed to the Far North. But this time they came not to 
explore, but to trade. 

Prince Rupert, the dashing cousin of King Charles ii., 
helped to fit out the expedition, and himself became the 
governor of the new land which was now claimed by the 
British. And this land was called after him Prince 
Rupert Land. 

The adventurers received a charter or writing from 
King Charles, giving them leave to trade and found 
colonies wherever they would around the shores of 
Hudson Bay. The company was called the * Honourable 
Company of Adventurers of England trading into 
Hudson's Bay,' and later it became famous as the 
Hudson Bay Company. 

Soon a British fort was built upon the barren shore, 
and the red flag of St. George fluttered out in the lonely 
waste. But the French were ill pleased that any man 
should set foot in the land they wished to own. So the 

66 



56 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

next year the French king sent a gentleman named De 
Lusson to take possession of the great North- West. 
This gentleman did not trouble to go to the North- West, 
but upon a hill at the Saulte St. Marie, where the three 
great lakes meet, he held a solemn ceremony. 

Here many tribes of Indians were gathered together 
hideous with paint of various colours, bedecked with 
feathers and wampum. They were feasted, they danced 
and played games and smoked the pipe of peace. And 
at last one sunny day in June they climbed the hill, and 
upon the top, with much pomp and little understanding 
what it meant, set their names to a paper. In this paper 
the great White King claimed the whole of North 
America from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, 
and from the coast of Labrador as far west as land might 
be, for then the west was but a pathless wilderness, no 
man knowing how far it might reach. 

It was a wild and strange scene. Gay Frenchmen 
in bright uniforms, priests in rich robes, half-naked 
savages gaudy in paint and feathers, all were there. 
When the paper was signed, a great cross blessed by the 
priests was raised, and planted near it was a post carved 
with the lilies of France. Then kneeling around the 
cross with bowed bare heads, the Frenchmen sang a 
Latin hymn — 

* The banners of Heaven's King advance ; 
The mystery of the Cross shines forth.' 

Prayers were said. Then with drawn sword in one 
hand, and a sod of earth in the other, De Lusson claimed 
all the countries, rivers, and streams, both those which 
were discovered and those which at any time might be 
discovered, for his most Christian Majesty, the King of 
France. And as he ceased, the silence was broken, the 



BEGINNING OF HUDSON BAY COMPANY 57 

air rang with cries of God save the King, mingled with 
the roar of gunshot and the savage yells of Indians. 

A priest then spoke to the Red Men. He told them 
that powerful though their chiefs might be, they were as 
nought to the great White King, whose riches were 
untold, who walked in the blood of his enemies, and who 
had slain so many in battle that no man might number 
them. This he told them to strike awe into their hearts, 
and greatly marvelling at the power of this fearful 
unknown white lord, the Ked Men scattered to their 
homes again, uttering wild yells or grunting hoarsely as 
they went. 

So once more France and Britain clashed, and France 
claimed what Britain had taken. Still for some years 
the Company built forts, traded with the Indians, and 
grew rich, undisturbed by the French. Then the French 
too formed a fur-trading company called the Company 
of the North, and trouble began. Again and again the 
British forts were attacked and destroyed. Again and 
again with dogged courage the British returned to them, 
and rebuilt them. 

Even when they were not fighting, the French did 
all they could to prevent the Bed Men trading with the 
British. But the Red Men soon found out that the 
British gave them more in exchange for their furs than 
the French, and so, of course, were glad to trade with them. 

Nowadays, if we wish to buy anything, we must give 
money for it. But to a savage, money is of no use, for 
he has no shops to which he may go to buy things. So 
in exchange for furs the traders gave the Redskins 
tobacco, guns, beads, hatchets, gay clothes, and blankets. 
During the winter the savages would hunt and trap the 
wild animals and gather great stores of skins, then when 
spring came, and the frozen rivers melted, they would 



58 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

load their bark canoes and paddle away to the Company's 
forts. They had often to travel hundreds of miles, and 
the journey was full of difficulties and dangers. In those 
days, through the wilderness of the Far North, there were 
no roads at all. The rivers and lakes were the only 
highways. But upon the rivers there were rapids where 
the waters rushed in white foam over the river bed. So 
clever were the Indians in managing their canoes that 
sometimes they could shoot these rapids, that is row over 
them. But at other times, when the rapids were more 
dangerous, they would land, unload their canoes, and 
carry them and their goods along the river banks, and 
launch again in the smooth water below the rapids. 
This was called making a portage. Portage comes from 
the French word porter, to carry. Sometimes, too, when 
a river no longer flowed in the direction in which the 
traveller wished to go, he would unload and carry his 
canoe over the portage to another river which did flow 
in the right direction, and there launch anew. Some- 
times a portage might only be a few yards, sometimes it 
was several miles. 

Often the difficulties of travelling were so great that 
the Indians, worn with hunger and fatigue, became too 
weak to carry their loads. Then, before they reached 
the trading fort, they would throw away many of the 
skins which they had gathered with such skill and care 
during the winter months, thus losing the reward they 
had hoped to gain for their labour. 

But the fort at last reached, all difficulties and 
dangers of the journey were forgotten. With shouts 
and firing of guns the Indians landed. Leaving the 
women to unload the canoes and do the other hard work, 
the chiefs marched to the fort. There they were received 
by the white men, and sat in state, while pipes were 



BEGINNING OF HUDSON BAY COMPANY 59 

passed round the circle. Then followed days of drinkmg 
and feasting, sometimes of fighting too. For the Red- 
skin, alas ! loved the * fire water ' of the white man, and 
when the heat of it warmed his blood, he cared not what 
he did. 

At length came the great day. Dressed in a red 
coat trimmed with cheap lace, brave in many coloured 
stockings and feathered hat, the chief and his warriors 
gathered to smoke the pipe of peace. Its long stem was 
decorated with bears' and eagles' claws, and bright with 
feathers, and as it passed around the circle each took a 
whifF. Then when the tobacco burned low in the bowl, 
speech began. With much flowery talk, and many 
flowing words, the furs were exchanged for tobacco and 
guns. It was a long business, but at length the barter 
was done. Then the Redskins paddled away again, 
once more leaving the fort to its wonted stillness, and the 
traders to pack and store the furs ready to be sent oft 
when the next ship from home should arrive. 

Such were the beginnings of the great company which 
for a time ruled a large territory, and which still exists to 
this day. It was no easy or safe life, for the French 
looked upon the whole land as their own. Again and 
again they attacked the company's posts and swept 
them away. Again and again the British returned, 
strengthened their outposts, and pushed their conquests 
farther and farther into the wilds. At last they gained 
such a firm footing that neither the rage of the French- 
man, nor the wiles of the Indian, could dislodge them. 



CHAPTER XII 

THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 

For a long time Canada was under the rule of fur- 
traders and companies, and it did not prosper well. 
The whole people did not number two thousand. 
Most of those lived in Quebec, Montreal, and Three 
Rivers, and in the forts, scattered and few, stretching 
inland along the banks of the river St. Lawrence to the 
great lakes. But in 1663 Canada was made a crown 
colony, and King Louis xiv. took the ruling into his 
own hands. 

Canada was now ruled by a Governor, a Bishop, and a 
third man called an Intendant. One of the Intendant's 
chief duties was to look after the money and see that it 
was properly spent. In a different way he was quite as 
powerful as the Governor, and the Bishop also had great 
power. 

The Sieur de Courcelle was ^the first governor under 
the new arrangement. And now, from having utterly 
neglected the colony, the king began to take a great 
interest in it. With Courcelles came the Marquis de 
Tracy, the Viceroy of all King Louis' western colonies 
and possessions, in order that he might see for himself 
what the land of New France was like. He brought 
with him a famous regiment of soldiers called the 
Carignan-Callieres, from the names of two of their 
leaders. They were the first real soldiers that had ever 



THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 61 

come to Canada. Besides the soldiers, the marquess 
brought many settlers and a great train of servants and 
courtiers. 

In a day the population of Canada was doubled. 
Fresh life seemed to have been poured into the colony. 
The towns were gay with courtiers in ribbons, lace, and 
feathers, through the trackless woods marched the 
brightly-clad soldiers of the line. But though they 
seemed gorgeous as peacocks, they were brave as lions. 
Soon the pride of the Iroquois was humbled. The 
white man was no longer bulhed by haughty, half-naked 
savages, and for twenty years Canada had peace from the 
Red Man. 

Louis de Baude, Count Frontenac, was one of the 
greatest of the governors of New France. Next to that 
of Champlain, his name is perhaps the best remembered 
in the history of the colony. He was the first man who 
tried to give the people of Canada freedom. Until 
Frontenac came, the people had no say in ruling. Now 
the governor tried to form a parliament. He asked 
the townspeople to come to talk about the affairs of 
the colony together with the priests and nobles. But 
when the French king heard about it, he was very 
angry. He did not wish the people to be free. He 
wished to keep all the power in his own hands, and 
Count Frontenac was forbidden to call his little parlia- 
ment together again. 

Although Frontenac was not allowed to do all he 
wished, he was a very powerful ruler. But he was proud 
and haughty, and often quarrelled with the Intendant 
and with the Bishop. The Indians, however, dreaded 
and respected him more than any other *Onontio,' as 
they called the white rulers. 

Onontio means ' great mountain ' in the Indian 



62 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

language. One of the governors of New France had 
been called Montmagny. The Indians had been told 
that in the French language that meant Great Mountain, 
and from his name they called all the governors who 
came after him, Onontio or Great Mountain. 

But never had Onontio been respected as Frontenac 
was respected. The Indians felt that he was their master. 
He would not call their great chiefs ' Brother,' as other 
rulers had done. He called them his children and he 
was their Great Father. Yet though they feared him, 
they loved him too, for he would laugh and jest vdth 
them, play with their children, and give their wives 
strings of beautiful beads. Then, too, at times he would 
paint his face and dress himself like an Indian chief, and 
with tomahawk in hand would lead the war- dance ; or 
again he would sit by the council fire making speeches 
as fine as any savage warrior. 

It was while Frontenac was ruler that the great time 
of Canadian exploration began. In spite of both French 
and British colonies, little was known of the vast 
continent of America. The French forts stretched 
inland along the river St. Lawrence to the great lakes ; 
the British crept along the seashore from Florida in the 
south to Acadie in the north, and were shut out from 
the great west by the Alleghany Mountains. But what 
was behind and beyond none knew. 

The British, when they went to live in the New World 
became fishermen and farmers, settling down quickly to 
a peaceful home life. Not so the Frenchmen. Priest, 
soldier, or colonists, each seemed filled with the roving 
spirit of the forest, the desire for adventure and the 
thirst for knowledge and conquest. Indeed the desire 
for a wild and roving life became so strong in some, that 
they could no longer remain in towns and villages, and 



THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 68 

they wandered away into the woods to live among the 

Indians. They dressed like Indians and married Indian 

women. They were reckless, fearless men, loving the 

forests and the lonely lakes and rivers, and instead of 

taming the Redskins they themselves became almost 

like savages. In vain the King of France made laws 

forbidding the young men to wander away and live in 

the woods. The woods called them, and they could not 

resist the call. These men became known as * wanderers 

of the woods,' or, in the French language, Coureurs de hois. 

These forest adventurers were great fur-traders. They 

knew all the haunts and habits of the wild animals. 

They read the signs of sky and wood as we might read 

a book. In winter, alone across the trackless snow, they 

found their way. In summer the pathless forest had no 

terrors for them. They were warriors and explorers as 

well as trackers and traders. Lawless and brave, they 

were looked upon as outlaws, and sometimes in battles 

they might be seen fighting for Indians, sometimes for 

the French. 

' Give me freedom, give me space, 
Give me the open air and sky, 
With the clean wind in my face 
Where the quiet mountains lie. 

I am sick of roofs and floors. 
Naught will heal me but to roam ; 
Open me the forest doors. 
Let the green world take me home. 

I am sick of streets and noise, 
Narrow ways and cramping creeds ; 
Give me back the simpler joys; 
Nothing else my spirit needs. 

For the road goes up and the road goes down, 
And the years go over and by, 
And soon will the longest day be past, 
Soon I must lay me down.' 



64 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

When these wanderers of the woods came to the 
towns to sell their furs, they brought with them many 
wonderful stories of the sights they had seen far in the 
unknown wilds. Among other things, they talked of a 
* great water ' of which the Indians told wonderful tales. 
They called it the Mississippi or Father of Waters. 
Then men began to ask what this great water was. Was 
it perhaps the fabled passage to the Indies, which many 
a brave sailor had given his life to find ? If it could be 
found, would it lead at last to the Vermilion Sea, to 
China, to the spice lands, and the glories of the East ? 

Many people set out to find this great water, and at 
last a priest named Marquette and an explorer named 
Joliet discovered the Mississippi. They sailed far down 
it, past where the yellow, angry waters of the Missouri 
join it. On and on southward they went, until at length 
they became sure that the great river did not flow 
across America and fall into the Pacific Ocean as they 
had thought, but southward into the Gulf of Mexico. 
Having made sure of this they turned home again with 
the news of their great discovery. 

Among the many French adventurers was a man 
named R^nd Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle. He is 
generally called La Salle, and is one of the best known 
of the Canadian explorers. 

Like others. La Salle had heard of the great water 
and was eager to follow it all the way to its mouth. So 
with a friend called Tonty he gathered a company, and 
went to explore. 

Tonty, like La Salle, was brave and fearless, and he 
was much dreaded by the Indians. He had only one 
hand, the other having been shot off while he was fight- 
ing once in Europe. So he had an iron hand made to 
replace the one he had lost, and he always wore a glove 




.-^I»>^ 



mMminr.m»»r,i-«».-.,«i««,««^»-,..«.»<^ ^ 

'alone across the trackless snow.' 




THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 65 

over it. Once or twice when the Red Men had been 
unruly he had brought them to order by knocking them 
down with this hand. Not knowing that it was of iron, 
they wondered at his power and strength, and called 
him a * medicine man ' and feared him greatly. 

La Salle was one of the most unlucky of men, and 
now he had many and terrible difficulties to fight. He 
had enemies who did their best to hinder and ruin him. 
His own men even were not true to him, besides which 
he had to fight with storms, and cold and heat, hunger 
and thirst, and not least, with savage Indians. But he 
was so brave and determined that nothing made him 
give in. 

Before La Salle began his exploration, he built a ship 
which he called the Griffin. In it he sailed up Lake 
Erie and Lake Michigan. It was the first time that a 
sailing-boat had ever been seen on these great inland 
seas, and the Indians came to wonder and stare at it in 
astonishment. 

La Salle had not much money, so from Lake 
Michigan he sent the Griffin back to Montreal with a 
load of furs, giving the captain orders to sell them and 
return with goods needful for the expedition, as soon as 
possible. 

When the Griffin had sailed, La Salle journeyed on 
with the rest of his men to the head of Lake Michigan, 
and there he awaited the return of his ship. 

But the Griffin never came again. In vain La Salle 
waited and watched for a white sail. No white sail ever 
appeared. What became of the Griffin will never be 
known. Somewhere upon the great lakes it was lost, 
with all the men on board. Not one returned to tell the 
fate of the others. 

While La Salle waited and watched in vain for the 



66 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

return of the Grijfin, the good days were passing, winter 
was coming. At length he gave up hope of seeing his 
ship again, and made up his mind to go on without the 
fresh supplies he had sent for. So, through many trials 
and dangers, suffering from cold and hunger, the little 
band pushed on. For La Salle, perhaps, the hardest 
trial of all was that his men did not believe in him. 
Nearly all were discontented, and many were afraid of the 
difficulties and dangers of the way. Two, indeed, were 
so afraid that they ran away. 

At length La Salle made up his mind to rest for the 
winter on the banks of the river Illinois. Here he built 
a fort which he called Fort Creve-Cceur, or Heart-Break. 
But in spite of the sad name he gave his fort. La Salle 
showed that he had not quite lost heart, for he began 
to build another ship to take the place of the Griffin. 

But soon La Salle found that he had not many things 
which were needed for the ship. To get them, some one 
must return to Montreal, and La Salle resolved to go 
himself. 

Taking with him one Indian and four other Frenchmen, 
La Salle set out on his terrible walk of a thousand miles. 
Tonty with the rest — some sixteen men — remained be- 
hind to guard the fort and work at the ship until their 
leader's return. 

This journey of La Salle was tiresome beyond be- 
lief. With the first days of spring the snow began to 
thaw, and thawing it turned the prairies into wide and 
endless marshes, in which the travellers sank to their 
knees, or sometimes even to their waists. They could 
not walk upon the rivers, for the melting ice was not 
strong enough to bear them. Neither could they sail 
down them, for the broken ice would have smashed their 
frail canoes to pieces. So they scrambled along the 



THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 67 

banks, sometimes forcing their way through forests so 
dense, that their clothes were torn to rags and their faces 
so scratched and bleeding that they hardly knew each 
other. 

They had to suffer both from cold and heat. The 
sun at midday blazed upon them, at night the frost was 
bitter. During the day they were often drenched with 
rain or half-melted snow, at night their soaking clothes 
would freeze. At night, wet and weary, they lay down 
to sleep around their camp fire, in the morning they awoke 
to find themselves encased in frosted armour. 

Worn out with the terrible hardships of the journey, 
one after another the men fell ill. But at length, after 
more than two months crowded with pain and toil and 
danger, they reached Fort Frontenac, and found rest and 
shelter. 



CHAPTER XTIl 

THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE CONTINUED 

La Salle's troubles were not ended. At Fort Frontenac 
he was greeted with the news that a ship from France, 
laden with goods for him, had been wrecked. This was 
indeed bad news. But La Salle was not to be daunted. 
He at once set to work to gather fresh supplies, and 
made ready to start back to Fort Heart-Break, there to 
join his friends. 

Then the worst news of all came. A letter from 
Tonty arrived to tell La Salle that soon after he had left, 
nearly all his men had mutinied. They had destroyed the 
fort, robbed the storehouse, and what they could not carry 
away they had thrown into the river. They had gone, 
leaving Tonty and four or five faithful men helpless and 
alone in the wilderness. 

La Salle had been eager to set out. Now that he 
heard this evil news he was more eager still. He felt 
that there was no time to lose, and that he must find and 
help his friend at once. 

But when, after a long and difficult journey. La Salle 
reached Fort Heart-Break again, there was no sign of any 
human being. The fort was ruined and deserted, and 
only the great staring ribs of the unfinished ship were 
left to show that white men had been there. No sign of 
Tonty or his faithful few was to be seen. 

Never for a moment, however, did La Salle give in. 



THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 69 

He spent the winter in making friends with the Indians, 
and in trying in every way to hear news of Tonty, and 
at last, when spring came again, the two friends met. 
They had much to tell each other. But it was a tale of 
sorrow and failure on both sides. Yet La Salle was not 
beaten, and once more he set out with Tonty on his 
travels. But now he gave up the idea of building a ship, 
and the expedition started down the river in canoes. 

It was the middle of winter before everything was 
ready. The river was frozen over, so the men made 
sledges, put their canoes upon them, and in this way 
dragged them over the ice. As they went southward 
it became warmer, spring came, and the ice began to 
melt. The sledges were of no more use, and for a time 
neither were the canoes, for the river soon became full 
of broken floating ice, through which it was impossible to 
paddle. But at length the ice was nearly all melted; 
they reached a clear and open stream, and, launching the 
canoes, they sailed swiftly onward. 

Every day as they sailed they left winter further and 
further behind. The sun shone pleasantly ; spring flowers 
nodded to them from the banks ; the drooping trees put 
on a beautiful soft green. It seemed as if their troubles 
were over. On and on they floated easily down stream, 
through the smiling spring land, which no white man had 
ever before beheld. At last they reached their journey's 
end, and stood upon the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. 

On that lonely shore these few white men raised a 
pillar. Upon it they carved the arms of France and the 
words, * Louis the Great, King of France and Navarre, 
reigns, 9th April 1682.' The white flag of France, with 
its golden fleur-de-lis, floated out upon the breeze, and 
the silence was broken for the first time by the sound 
of guns and the shouts of ' God save the King.' 



70 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

When the sound of the shouting died away, the men 
raised their voices once again. This time they sang a 
hymn of praise to God. Then with drawn sword La 
Salle stood beside the pillar. ' In the name of the most 
high, mighty, invincible, and victorious Prince, Louis 
the Great, by the Grace of God, King of France and 
of Navarre,' he cried, ' I do now take possession of this 
country of Louisiana, the seas, harbours, ports, bays, and 
all the nations, peoples, cities, towns, villages, mines, 
fisheries, streams, and rivers, within the said Louisiana 
from the mouth of the great river Ohio along the river 
Mississippi, and all the rivers which flow into it from its 
source to its mouth at the sea.' 

Then a cross was raised beside the pillar. Once more 
the guns rang out, once more shouts of * God save the 
King ' awoke the silent echoes of the forest, and men's 
voices raised a Latin hymn of praise. To France a new 
kingdom had been added. 

If you will look on the map you will see what a great 
region La Salle had claimed. He himself had no idea 
how great it was. You will see that the British colonies 
lay like a narrow strip between the Alleghanies and the 
sea, while the French had claimed all that lay behind ; 
that is, all the country which is now the United States, 
as well as the whole of Canada. 

It was a vast kingdom, and could not be held by 
France through the mere planting of a pillar. This 
La Salle well knew, though he himself did not guess 
how large a tract of land he had claimed. Now he 
formed a plan by which this kingdom might be held. 
His plan was to build a town at the mouth of the 
Mississippi, and forts all along its banks at certain dis- 
tances. These forts would be resting-places for traders, 
and would form a barrier against the British, shutting 



THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 71 

them more than ever out from the unknown west. All 
the trade of Canada could then be borne down the 
Mississippi to the town at its mouth, which would thus 
grow into a great seaport. From there white-winged 
vessels would glide out to all parts of the world, and 
so great wealth and glory would be added to the crown 
of France. 

Such was La Salle's dream. But meanwhile he had 
to battle his way up stream, back through savage wilder- 
ness to the dwellings of white men. And it was not 
until he had passed through many more adventures and 
dangers that he reached Quebec once more. From there 
he set sail for France, eager to tell the king of all 
that he had done, and of all that he hoped still to do. 

King Louis received La Salle kindly, and gave him 
the help he asked. Soon four ships set sail fi-om France 
filled with soldiers, workmen, and colonists, bringing with 
them all things needful to found a city. 

La Salle sailed for the Gulf of Mexico, and meant 
to land at the mouth of the Mississippi, which he had 
reached before by paddling down the river. But coming 
to it from the sea was very different from coming to 
it from the land. La Salle could not find the place, and 
sailed more than a hundred miles beyond it. When 
at last they landed, the colonists were already dis- 
heartened. They had lost two ships : one had run upon 
rocks, the other had been taken by the Spaniards, who 
claimed the Gulf of Mexico as their own, threatening 
with death any who dared to enter it. On the way out. 
La Salle had quarrelled with his officers. Things from 
first to last went ill, and so it was with little spirit in the 
task that the colonists set about building their wooden 
houses. 

Two years of struggle, toil, and misery followed the 



n OUH EMPIRE STORY 

landing. * This pleasant land seemed to us an abode of 
weariness and an eternal prison,' wrote one of the com- 
pany. Sickness and death thinned their numbers, till at 
the end of these two years, of the two hundred men and 
women who had set sail, scarcely forty remained. And 
these were but a ragged and forlorn band. Their clothes 
were in such tatters that they were glad to make coats of 
sail cloth; their food was near an end. Gladly would 
they have left their prison, but they knew not how. 
In vain they strained their eyes seawards, hoping for the 
sight of a friendly, fearing to see a Spanish, sail. Sadly 
they thought of their beloved France, which they had 
left with such light hearts. They longed to return, but 
no ship came. They were alone, forsaken, and lost in 
that far land. 

At length La Salle made up his mind to try to find 
his way back to Canada by land, and bring help from 
there to the forlorn colony. So one morning there was 
a sad scene within the walls of the little fort, as those 
who went said farewell to those who stayed. Many 
tears were shed as last handshakes were given, last good- 
byes said. Then the little band set out on the long and 
terrible journey northward. 

They were a quaint and ragged party. Some wore 
the clothes they had brought from France, now much 
patched and darned ; some wore coats of sailcloth ; some 
the skins of wild animals. They were but ill prepared 
for their long and perilous journey through prairie and 
forest, by stream and lake. Yet in the brave, unyielding 
heart of La Salle, there was still hope. 

La SaUe was brave and strong, and his friends loved 
him well. But these friends were few. To most people 
he was cold and haughty, and he made many enemies. 
Now bitter hate and discontent filled the hearts of some 



THE ADVENTURES OF LA SALLE 73 

of his men. As the difficulties and hardships of the way 
grew greater, their hatred grew deeper, and at last one 
morning they shot their leader dead. ' There thou liest, 
there thou liest, great Bashaw,' cried one, rejoicing as he 
saw his enemy lie dead upon the ground. The mutineers 
then stripped the body of all its clothes and left it naked 
and unburied, a prey to the wild beasts. So he who 
would have founded a kingdom and made France great 
among the nations, lies in a nameless, unknown grave. 
Of what became of his murderers little is known. By 
man, at least, they went unpunished. 

No help ever came to the little colony La Salle had 
left behind him. It was attacked by Indians; nearly 
all the colonists were killed, the rest scattered. La Salle's 
brilliant dream ended in nothingness, but he had shown 
his countrymen the way. Other great men followed 
him who were more successful, and it seemed for a time 
as if France would indeed hold the great possessions 
claimed for her in the New World. 



CHAPTER XIV 

COUNT FRONTENAC 

While La Salle was struggling down the Mississippi, 
Frontenac, the great Onontio, was having his troubles 
too. The Indians who had been at peace for so long were 
growing restless. It needed all Frontenac's cleverness 
to keep them quiet. And though he kept peace with 
the Red Man, he could not do so with his white brother. 
He quarrelled with the Intendant and he quarrelled with 
the Bishop. At last the quarrels became so bad, that 
King Louis in anger called both Frontenac and the 
Intendant home. 

Frontenac was followed by a governor who could not 
manage the Indians at all. They grew insolent, he grew 
frightened. Then King Louis, more angry than ever, 
ordered him to come home. 

Again, under the next governor, the troubles with the 
Indians grew no better but rather worse, till the Iroquois 
prowled about like wolves, and no white man's life was 
safe. The French plotted, and the Indians plotted. 
Treachery was met by treachery, blood was wiped put in 
blood. The Iroquois' hatred of the French, which for 
a time they seemed to have forgotten, burst out again 
with wilder fury than before. 

One stormy August night, amid the lashing of hail and 

the scream of the wind, the Indian war-whoop was heard 

by the sleeping settlers of Fort La Chine, not far from 
u 



COUNT FRONTENAC 75 

Montreal. Leaping from their beds they made ready 
to defend themselves. From all sides yelling, painted 
warriors poured in upon them. Muskets flashed and 
roared, tomahawk and hatchet gleamed and fell. Many 
fled in the darkness, but few escaped the awful vengeance 
of the Indian. When the sun rose it shone upon the 
ruined, deserted village in the ashes of which lay the 
dead bodies of two hundred men, women, and children. 
More than a hundred others were led away captive, 
many of them to be done to death with horrible tortures 
in the Indian encampment. 

The people of Montreal were filled with horror, the 
governor was helpless with fear. For two months the 
Indians prowled about, ravaging and destroying at will. 
Then they went off to their own country, carrying their 
prisoners with them. Before they went they gathered 
around Montreal, filling the air with hideous yells — giving 
a yell for every prisoner they had taken, and thus show- 
ing their scorn of the governor. 

Besides this fearful Indian warfare, quarrels between 
the British and the French colonies were every day 
becoming more bitter. For many years, while the French 
north of the St. Lawrence had been founding scattered 
colonies and trying to make the heathen people Christian, 
the British colonies south of the St. Lawrence had been 
growing stronger and stronger. The British had not 
claimed so much land as the French, but there were far 
more people in the small part that they had claimed, 
and they held it with far firmer hands. 

Now there began a struggle between the British and 
the French for the fur trade, for the possession of the 
waterways by the rivers and great lakes, and for the friend- 
ship of the Indians. The Indians had already found out 
that the British gave them more for their furs than the 



76 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

French. So even those who were friendly with the 
French were not unwilling to trade with the British. 
There is no room in this little book to tell of all the 
quarrels and of the exciting fights which took place 
when white men fought against each other, and side by 
side, with yelling savages whose faces were painted red 
and green, or spotted with black and white. They were 
indeed often painted all over, and naked except for tails 
of wild beasts hanging down their backs. Upon their 
heads they wore horns, in their noses and ears iron 
ornaments, and round their necks chains of beads. They 
were somewhat terrible friends to have, and very fearful 
enemies. 

The Iroquois had nearly wrecked the colonies of New 
France, when the news came that Frontenac, the great 
Onontio, was coming back. He was now seventy years 
old, he was old and grey, but he had not forgotten 
how to rule. His coming struck terror to the Indian heart. 
With them he would have made peace, but with the 
British he waged war. For he believed that they had 
been to blame for many of the quarrels, and that they 
had stirred the Iroquois to fight. 

So against the British Frontenac sent three armies of 
French and Indians. It was dead of winter when they 
set out. Shod with snow-shoes, wrapped in fringed 
blankets, daubed with paint and decked with feathers, 
French and Indian alike sped over the snow 
fields. 

The British were not prepared for war. At one fort 
the gates were open, the doors unbarred. And so secure 
did they think themselves that, instead of sentinels, there 
stood by the gateway two snow men. But in the dead 
of night, over the silent snow, French and Indian stole. 
With fierce war-whoops they fell upon the sleeping men. 



COUNT FRONTENAC 77 

The slaughter was awful, and soon the village was a 
smoking ruin. 

All three armies were alike successful, if armies they 
might be called, for they were rather wild marauders. 
The Indians began again to respect the French and were 
no longer so insolent. But the British now gathered in 
strength to repay the blow. Sir William Phips sailed 
out from New England, attacked and took Port Royal, 
and once more claimed Acadie for the British. 

Then the New Englanders decided to take Quebec. 
And one October morning a fleet of thirty-four British 
ships, big and little, sailed up the St. Lawrence and 
anchored before Quebec. 

A little boat, flying a white flag, put off and made 
for the shore. In it was an ofiicer carrying a letter to 
Count Frontenac. As he came to shore the Frenchmen 
met him, and before he was allowed to land they blind- 
folded him. Then with a soldier on either side he was 
led through the streets to the governor. 

Up and down steep and stony pathways he was 
dragged, followed by a jeering crowd of women and 
children who laughed aloud as he stumbled over rough 
places, teUing him it was but a game of blind man's 
bufi: 

At length, bewildered and out of breath, the young 
officer was led into a room, and the bandage was taken 
from his eyes. Then he found that he was standing 
before the governor and his officers. For a moment, 
dazzled by the sudden light, he gazed in confusion at 
the crowd of Frenchmen in their gay uniforms, ghttering 
with gold and silver lace. Then recovering himself, he 
gave the letter which he had brought to Frontenac. 

This letter, in very proud words, demanded the 
surrender of Quebec, in the name of William and Mary, 



78 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

King and Queen of England, Scotland, France and 
Ireland. It gave Frontenac one hour in which to 
return an answer. 

The letter was read aloud, and when the reading was 
at an end the British officer pulled out his watch. * It 
is ten o'clock,' he said, showing it to the governor ; * I 
require your answer by eleven.' 

* By heaven I ' thundered Frontenac, * I will not keep 
you waiting so long I Tell your commander that I do 
not recognise King William, and that the Prince of 
Orange, who calls himself so, is a usurper. I know no 
king of Britain but King James. I will answer your 
general with the mouths of my cannon. Let him do his 
best, I will do mine.' 

With the French commander's proud answer ringing 
in his ears, blindfolded once more, the British officer 
was led stumbling down the steep streets to his boat. 

So the siege began. But although Phips was brave, 
he was leading men little used to war. They had courage 
enough, but little discipline. They were farmers and 
fishermen rather than soldiers. They threw away their 
lives, they wasted their shot against the solid wall of 
stone upon which Quebec is perched, while the French- 
men riddled their ships with shot and shell. 

At last, with splintered masts and torn rigging, the 
British sailed away. Yet, had they but known it, Quebec 
had almost been within their grasp. For although there 
were men enough and powder and shot enough within 
the walls, food was scarce, and the horror of famine 
stared the defenders in the face. 



CHAPTER XV 

THE STORY OF MADELEINE DE VERCHERES 

War still went on— war between French and British, 
between French and Iroquois. The houses in the 
country were deserted, the fields lay untilled, the people 
crowded to the towns for safety. Here and there the 
people of a village would gather and work all together. 
But while they worked, sentinels were on the watch to 
give warning at the first sign of danger. Everywhere 
the red terror lurked. No man was safe, no life was 
sure. The trader paddling down-stream with his store 
of furs, the trapper returning from the woods, each knew 
that he held his hfe in his hands. ' The enemy is upon 
us by land and sea,' wrote Frontenac; 'send us more 
men if you want the colony to be saved.' 

Many stories are told of brave deeds done at this 
time. But one of the most famous is that of Madeleine 
de Vercheres, a girl of fourteen, who held her father's 
fort against the Indians for a whole week. 

It was autumn, and all the settlers at Vercheres had 
gone to work in the fields some miles from the fort. 
Two soldiers only had been left on guard. Besides them 
there was an old man of eighty, some women and 
children, and ISIadeleine with her two little brothers of 
ten and twelve. 

All seemed peaceful and quiet. But through the 
thick forest, which already glowed gold and red beneath 

ro 



80 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

the autumn sun, Indians were stealing. Thinking that 
all was safe, Madeleine had gone down to the river which 
flowed not far from the fort, Suddenly, through the still 
air, was heard the sound of gun-shots. Hardly had the 
sound died away when there came a cry from the fort. 
* Run, miss, run I ' shouted the old man ; * the Indians are 
upon us I ' 

Madeleine turned. There, not a pistol-shot behind 
her, was a band of forty-five or fifty Indians. 

How Madeleine ran I Fear seemed to give her wings. 
But oh, the way was long I As she ran, she prayed in 
her heart, * Holy Virgin, Mother of God, save me I ' The 
bullets of forty-five muskets sang and whistled round her 
as she fl-ed. Would she never reach the fort ? Oh, how 
far off it seemed 1 ' To arms, to arms 1 ' she shouted, 
hoping that some one would come out and help her. 
No one came. At last she reached the gate and 
fled within. With trembling hands she closed and 
barred it. 

For the moment she was saved. But it was only for 
the moment. Wasting no time, Madeleine ran round 
the fort to see that all was safe. Here and there logs 
had fallen out on the palisades, leaving holes through 
which the enemy might get in. These she ordered to be 
replaced, herself helping to carry the logs. As soon as 
that was done she went to the guardroom where the 
gunpowder and shot were kept. Here she found the 
two so-called soldiers hiding in abject terror. One had 
a lighted match in his hand. ' What are you going to 
do with that ? ' she asked quickly. 

' I am going to set the powder on fire and blow us 
all up,' he answered. 

* You coward I ' cried Madeleine, * go I ' 

She was only a girl of fourteen, but she spoke so 



STORY OF MADELEINE DE VEKCHERES 81 

sternly that the soldier was ashamed. He blew out his 
match and left the room. 

Madeleine now threw off the white muslin bonnet 
which women used to wear in those days. Putting on a 
steel cap, and taking a gun in her hand, she turned to 
her two brothers. ' Boys,' she said, ' let us fight to the 
death. Remember what father has taught you, that 
gentlemen must be ready to die for their God and their 
king.' 

The boys were as brave as their sister, and, taking 
their guns, they went to the loopholes and began 
to fire upon the Indians who were now close round the 
house. 

Although Madeleine was so calm and brave, the 
women of the fort were much frightened. They cried 
pitifully, and so did the little children. Madeleine 
comforted them as well as she could, and told them that 
they must not cry, for if the Indians without heard, they 
would learn how hopeless the state of the fort was, and 
would attack more fiercely. 

All day long the fight lasted, and with the darkness of 
night came a terrible storm. The wind howled round the 
walls, snow and hail beat against the windows. It was 
a fearful night, and Madeleine anxiously watching the 
movements of the Indians, became sure that they were 
making ready to attack the fort under cover of the 
darkness and the storm. 

So Madeleine gathered her little garrison and made a 
speech to them. ' God has saved us to-day from the 
hands of our enemies,' she said. ' But we must watch 
to-night lest we fall into their snares.' Then to each she 
gave his orders, posting her few men as well as she could 
round the walls. So all night long the Indians heard 
the steady tread of sentinels on duty. Every hour from 



82 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

fort and block-house came the cry, 'All's well.' The 
wily Indians were completely deceived, and thinking 
that the fort was strongly garrisoned they dared not 
attack. 

Towards morning there was an alarm. The sentry 
nearest the gate suddenly called out, * Lady, I hear 
something.' 

Hurrying towards him, Madeleine peered anxiously 
through the loophole. Yes, there, against the whiteness 
of the new-fallen snow, black moving figures could be 
seen coming close round the house. For a few moments 
Madeleine watched anxiously. Then soft lowing and 
snuffling was heard. Madeleine gave a sigh of relief. 
These were no Indians, but some cattle belonging to the 
fort which had found their way through the snow to the 
gate. There were only a few, for the Indians had 
captured nearly all the herd. 

* We must open the gate and let them in,' said some 
one. 

* God forbid,' replied Madeleine, * you do not know the 
wiles of these Indians. Very likely they are behind the 
cattle, wrapped in skins and ready to rush in the moment 
we are silly enough to open the gate.' 

But after some talk it was decided to risk it. For 
if they were long besieged they might be glad of the 
cattle to keep them from starving. 

Calling her two brothers, Madeleine placed them one 
on each side of the gate, with their fingers on the triggers 
of their guns ready to fire. Then the gate was carefully 
opened. One by one the cattle came in, and the gate 
was again closed in safety. 

At last the long night ended. And as the sun rose 
and the darkness fled, the fears and terrors of the night 
fled too. 



STORY OF MADELEINE DE VERCHERES 83 

The day passed, and another, and another. The 
Indians still prowled without, the brave little garrison 
still kept watch within. Hour by hour Madeleine 
marched round the posts, always smiling, always speak- 
ing cheering words, however heavy her heart might be. 
For the first two days and nights she hardly slept, never 
laying down her gun or taking off her clothes. 

And so a week went by. 

Upon the seventh night Madeleine sat in the guard- 
room. She was very weary. With her gun lying across 
her arms, and her head resting upon the table, she fell 
asleep. Suddenly she started wide awake to hear the 
tramp of men around the house. Springing up, she 
seized her gun. ' Who goes there ? ' she called out into 
the darkness. 

* French,' came the reply ; ' it is La Monnerie come to 
help you.' 

Ah, that was good news I Running to the gate, 
Madeleine threw it open. But even now she did not 
forget to be careful. Posting a sentinel, she marched out 
to meet the Frenchmen. 

* Sir, you are welcome,' she said, giving La Monnerie, 
the leader, a military salute. ' I render you my arms.' 

*Lady,' replied the captain, bowing low before her, 
*they are in good hands.' 

* Better than you know, perhaps,' replied Madeleine 
proudly. 

I^a Monnerie and his soldiers marched into the fort. 
Wonderingly he made a tour of the posts and found all 
in good order, each ' man ' at his post. It was perhaps 
the strangest, bravest garrison he had ever seen. Among 
them were an old man of eighty, and a boy of ten, and 
their leader was a girl of fourteen. 

* Sir,' said Madeleine, a little wearily but with a joyful 



84 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

pride, ' relieve my men. We have not been off duty for 
eight days.' 

'And this is my little garrison, my brothers Louis and Paul ; 

With soldiers two, and a cripple. May the Virgin pray for us all. 

But we've powder and guns in plenty, and we'll fight to the latest 

breath, 
And if need be, for God and country, die a brave soldier's death. 

'Load all the carabines quickly, and whenever you sight the foe, 

Fire from the upper turret and loopholes down below. 

Keep up the fire, brave soldiers, though the fight may be fierce and 

long, 
And they '11 think our little garrison is more than a hundred strong.' 

So spake the maiden Madeleine, and she roused the Norman blood 
That seemed for a moment sleeping, and sent it like a flood 
Through every heart around her, and they fought the red Iroquois 
As fought in the old-time battles the soldiers of Carignan. 

And six days followed each other, and feeble her limbs became, 

Yet the maid never sought her pillow, and the flash of the carabine's 

flame 
Illumined the powder-smoked faces, ay, even when hope seemed gone. 
And she only smiled at her comrades and told them to fight, fight on. 

And she blew a blast on her bugle, and lo, from the forest black 
MeiTily, merrily ringing, an answer came pealing back. 
Oh, pleasant and sweet it sounded, borne on the morning air, 
For it heralded fifty soldiers, with gallant De la Mpnniere. 

And when he beheld the maiden, the soldier of Carignan, 

And looked on the little garrison that fought the red Iroquois 

And held their own in the battle, for six long weary days. 

He stood for a moment speechless, and marvelled at woman's ways. 

Then he beckoned the men behind him, and steadily they advance. 
And with carabines uplifted the veterans of France 
Saluted the brave young captain so timidly standing there. 
And they fired a volley in honour of Madeleine V^rcheres, 

W. H, Drummond. 



CHAPTER XVI 

THE WAR OF THE BOUNDARY LINE 

There is no room here to tell of all the struggles of 
Britain and France in America. But you have read 
enough to see how these two great powers had laid hold 
of the mighty continent, and how, in spite of all the 
thousands of miles of prairie and forest, of lake and 
stream, there was not room for both. One must go. 
But which ? Was it to be the stolid, dogged race, who 
had painfully felled the trees and ploughed the land, 
reclaiming it bit by bit from the vast forest, building 
there, homes and churches and clustering towns? Or 
was it to be the gay adventurers and earnest black-robed 
priests, who reared crosses upon the borders of desolation, 
and claimed with the roar of cannon and singing of 
hymns, unexplored and unknown countries and peoples, 
for God and their king ? 

' Do you not know the difference between the King 
of France and the King of Britain ? ' a Frenchman once 
asked the Indians. *Go, look at the forts which our 
king has built. You will see that you can still hunt under 
their very walls. They have been built for your good, in 
places where you go. The British, on the other hand, 
are no sooner in possession of a place than they drive the 
game away. The trees fall before them, the earth is 
laid bare so that you can scarcely find a few branches with 
which to make a shelter for the night.' 

8S 



86 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

It was true. The British turned the wild forest into 
meadow-land and corn-fields. The French claimed the 
forest, and left it forest still, still the Red Man's hunting- 
ground. 

The King of France was a despot at home. He 
was just as much a despot in his colonies. Everything 
the French settler did, was done by the French king's 
orders. In the French colonies there was no more 
freedom for the people than there was at home. In the 
British colonies it was very different. British settlers 
sailed to the New World because they were unhappy 
at home, because they could not worship God as they 
wished, or because they could not have the king they 
wanted. They sought freedom and they found it. At 
home the people rose against their king. They cut off 
his head and said they would have no more kings. But 
after a Uttle they grew tired of having no king, and they 
asked Charles ii. to come to rule over them. Later, the 
people rebelled again, and a new race of kings came to 
the throne. But all these changes did not make much 
difference to the colonies. The colonists remained 
British subjects whether King or Protector ruled the 
British Isles, this, too, although they received little help 
or attention from home. 

So by degrees thirteen colonies were founded in 
America. Little by little they grew strong and 
prosperous, and at length the king and people at home 
began to see what a great state had grown up beyond 
the seas. 

Yet although these thirteen colonies were all British, 
there was very little union amongst them. It was a long 
time before they learned that if they did not wish to be 
crushed out by the French, they must join together and 
help each other. 



THE WAR OF THE BOUNDARY LINE 87 

Years rolled on. There was no peace — there could 
be no peace between the two peoples. Even when 
France and Britain were not fighting at home, there 
was almost always fighting in America. And if the roar 
of cannon was quiet, and the white man's sword in sheath, 
the Red Man's tomahawk gleamed and his war-cry made 
the darkness terrible. 

At last the great struggle in America began. It has 
been called the War of the Boundary Line. 

Slowly, as the British colonies grew, they pressed 
westward. The country where Pittsburg now stands 
came to be called the Gate of the West. Both French 
and British wished to possess that gate, and both claimed 
the land. Here the French built a fort which they called 
Fort Le Boeuf. 

When the Governor of Virginia heard of this, he 
sent a young man called George Washington to tell 
the French commander of the fort that he was upon 
British ground, and that he must leave at once. 

After a long and difficult journey Washington reached 
the French camp one evening just as the officers were 
sitting down to dinner. They received him most cour- 
teously, but they told him that they meant to take and 
keep possession of the valley of the Ohio. * You Britishers 
are two to our one,' they said, ' but you are so slow, you 
cannot prevent us doing what we want.' 

The commander himself was grave and polite. ' I 
will send the British governor's letter to Canada,' he said, 
* but in the meantime my men and I will stay where we 
are. I have been commanded to take possession of the 
country, and I mean to do it as best I can.' 

With this answer Washington had to go back to his 
governor. But in the spring, he returned with about 
three hundred men. He was not able, however, to dis- 



88 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

lodge the French, and, after some fighting, he was forced 
to march away again. 

All this time France and Britain were supposed to 
be at peace. War had not been proclaimed, but now 
a thousand men were sent out from home to help the 
colonists. When the French heard this, they too sent 
men. Yet the King of France and the King of Great 
Britain kept on being polite to each other, and pretend- 
ing that nothing was meant. 

But at sea the French and British vessels met. Up 
went a red flag to the masthead of the British flagship. 
' Is this peace or war ? ' asked the French captain. 

*I don't know,' replied the British, *but you had 
better prepare for war.' And quick to point his words 
came the roar of cannon. The Frenchmen made good 
show of fight, but the British were the stronger, and soon 
the French struck their colours. 

So, without being declared, war began. 

But at first things went ill with the British in Canada. 
The home troops were sent out under the command of 
Major-General Edward Braddock. He was brave, but 
obstinate and old-fashioned. He had a contempt for 
the colonial soldiers, and a still greater contempt for 
their Indian friends. He was so rude to these that 
the haughty savages, instead of helping the British, 
stalked away offended, and took no part in the fight. 
* He looks upon us as dogs,' they said. 

Before setting out to attack the French, Braddock 
spent many weeks in making preparations, in gathering 
men, stores, and wagons. At last all was ready, and 
the long train of men and horses started for Fort 
Duquesne. 

Braddock was used to fighting in Europe. He knew 
nothing of fighting in the wilds of America. Never 



THE WAR OF THE BOUNDARY LINE 89 

before had he had to face the difficulty of taking an army, 
with all its train of baggage and ammunition, through 
pathless forest. Three hundred men with axes led the 
way, cutting down the trees to clear a path. Slowly 
behind them, now jolting over stumps and stones, now 
sinking axle deep in dust or mud, followed the wagons 
and cannon. So great were the difficulties of the road 
that the army crawled along at the rate of scarcely 
three miles a day, and so narrow was the path that the 
line of march was over four miles in length. But with 
British doggedness they toiled on ; the red coats of the 
soldiers and the white-covered wagons lighting up the 
dark forest ; the sound of trumpet-calls and the clash of 
arms awakening the silence. 

On this slow and painful march many of the men 
fell ill. So Braddock resolved to divide his army. 
Leaving the heaviest baggage, the sick men and some 
of his soldiers behind, under another officer called Dunbar, 
he pressed on with about twelve hundred men. But 
even thus lightened the march was not very fast, and 
the colonists were disgusted to find that their ideas of 
what a rough road meant, and those of the British, were 
quite different. The British, they said, ' halted to level 
every molehill and build bridges over every brook.' 

News of the march soon reached the French at Fort 
Duquesne. And when they heard how great the num- 
bers were, they were much afraid, and almost decided 
to leave the fort and march away before the British 
arrived. But a brave officer named Beaujeu, said, * No, 
let us rather gather some of the Indians and go out to 
meet them.' Then council fires were lit, and Beaujeu, 
dressed like an Indian brave, flung the war-hatchet down 
and talked to the Red Men until they were athirst for 
blood and ready to join the fight. So the war-dance was 



90 OUK EMPIRE STORY 

danced. Then daubed with paint and decked with 
feathers, six hundred red warriors and two hundred and 
fifty Frenchmen marched out to meet the British. They 
were led by Beaujeu, who looked almost like an Indian, 
wearing a fringed shirt as they did, under his steel breast- 
plate. 

The summer sun was shining, the sky was blue and 
clear, as the British force wound slowly across the river 
Monongahela. The men were in good spirits, for their 
journey was nearly at an end. Fort Duquesne being only 
nine miles off. Of victory they had no doubt, so to the 
sound of drum and trumpet they marched gaily along. 
Then suddenly, from the dark and silent forest, dashed 
a crowd of Indian warriors, uttering piercing, hideous 
war-cries. At the same moment a hail of bullets mowed 
down the British soldiers. Quickly they returned the 
fire, and shouting, ' God save the King,' they rushed at 
the foe. 

But the Indians scattered through the forest. Hiding 
behind trees and bushes they shot in safety at the British, 
whose red coats made them an easy mark. Gallantly the 
British fought. But it was like fighting against puffs of 
smoke. They could not see the foe ; they were guided 
only by the smoke ; their bullets tore through the bushes 
and were buried in the tree trunks, doing little harm, 
while from every side death rained upon the redcoats. 

The British were unused to this savage warfare. 
Had they scattered hke the Indians, and fired from 
behind shelter as they did, there might have been some 
hope. The American colonists, who were with the army 
under George Washington, knowing the ways of the 
Indians, fought them in their own manner. But to 
Braddock, that seemed unsoldierly and cowardly. If 
his men tried to scatter, he drove them together again. 



THE WAR OF THE BOUNDARY LINE 91 

so they stood a brilliant target in the sunshine to be 
mown down by the murderous fire of savages. 

Braddock himself fought and shouted like a madman. 
Horse after horse was shot under him, and at last he 
fell, sorely wounded. 

For two hours or more the slaughter lasted. Then 
the troops could stand no more. They fled, leaving 
more than half their number dead or dying upon the 
field. All night they fled, pursued by the savage foe. 
Day came, still on they fled until they reached Dunbar's 
camp. Even here their panic did not cease. Dunbar 
and his men were seized with terror too. But it was 
not possible to flee with such baggage as they had. 
So stores were destroyed, barrels of gunpowder were 
thrown into the river, wagons were burned, lest they 
should fall into the hands of the enemy. Then the 
whole army marched back the way it had come. The 
rout was complete. 

But meanwhile, swept along with the fleeing host, 
Braddock was dying. His life was ending in the dark- 
ness of defeat and disaster. Gloomy and silent he lay 
in his litter. *Who would have thought it?' was all 
he said. Then, as if with some returning hope, he mur- 
mured: *We shall know better how to do it another 
time.' Then he died. For him, there was to be no 
• other time.' 



CHAPTER XVII 

THE PATH OF GLORY 

" Quebec, the grey old city on the hill. 
Lies with a golden glory on her head. 
Dreaming throughout this hour so fair, so still. 
Of other days and all her mighty dead. 
The white doves perch upon the cannons grim. 
The flowers bloom where once did run a tide 
Of crimson, when the moon was pale and dim 
Above the battlefield so grim and wide. 
Methinks within her wakes a mighty glow 
Of pride, of tenderness — her stirring past — 
The strife, the valour, of the long ago 
Feels at her heart-strings. Strong, and tall, and vast. 
She lies, touched with the sunset's golden grace, 
A wondrous softness on her grey old face.' 

B. Bishop. 

The story of the first years of the great struggle in 
America is a story of mistakes, defeat, disaster, ill-luck, 
and bad management. * I dread to hear from America,' 
wrote Pitt the great Commoner. * We are undone both 
at home and abroad. We are no longer a nation,' sighed 
another gloomily. These were dark and perilous days for 
Britain and her colonies. There was war, there was 
disaster abroad ; there was discord at home. 

Then Pitt came into power. He was very certain of 
himself. * I am sure that I can save the country,' he 
said, * and that no one else can.' Then he set himself to 
the task. 

93 



THE PATH OF GLOBY 98 

Pitt cared not one jot whether people had great 
names or fine friends. He looked only for men — men 
fit for the work to which they were sent. So he recalled 
the blunderers, and sent in their places men whom he 
could trust. 

Soon the tide began to turn. Soon, in place of news 
of disaster and defeat, came news of victory. Louisburg, 
the strongest fortress possessed by the French, fell. 
Frontenac was taken, so, too, was Fort Duquesne, and 
the memory of Braddock's defeat was wiped out. The 
name of the fort was changed to Pittsburg in honour 
of the great statesman. It bears that name still. 

But while the outposts of Canada were falling, while 
British officers were drinking to * British colours on every 
French fort, port, and garrison, in America,' Quebec, 
perched high upon its frowning rock, guarded the St. 
Lawrence. It was the key of Canada. So with eight 
thousand men at his back, Major- General Wolfe was 
sent to take it. 

Up the St. Lawrence sailed the British warships 
making their way safely through the rocks and sand- 
banks of the treacherous passage, passing where the 
French would hardly have dared risk small merchant 
vessels. ' Ay, ay, my dear,' laughed one brave old 
salt, * I '11 convince you that an Englishman shall go 
where a Frenchman dare not show his nose.' 

Wolfe made his camp upon the Island of Orleans, 
just below Quebec, and the siege began. But the days 
and weeks went past, and in spite of all that he could do, 
Quebec seemed no nearer being taken. The country 
round about was a desert. The houses of Quebec were 
shattered and ruined by the British guns, but safe within 
the walls the brave and wary French general, Montcalm, 
waited and watched. He waited the coming of winter. 



94 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

when the mighty St. Lawrence would be one frozen 
mass. For before then, he knew that the British ships 
must sail away, or be crushed hke matchwood in the 
hungry jaws of the ice king. 

* You may ruin the town,' said one Frenchman, * but 
you will never get inside.' 

*I will have Quebec if I stay here till the end of 
November,' replied Wolfe. 

Day by day the British army was weakened by 
disease and death. Wolfe, himself, who had never been 
strong, became so ill that he could no longer go among 
his soldiers cheering them with brave words and smiles. 
He lay in bed, helpless and in pain, downcast, and almost 
in despair. 

But as he lay there he resolved to make one more 
effort to gain the town. Up the steep cliffs there 
led a little pathway, so narrow that only one man could 
go at a time, so dangerous that it was but carelessly 
watched. Up this pathway Wolfe determined to lead 
his men. It was a plan daring almost to madness. Had 
it failed, it would have been called madness. It did not 
fail. 

When Wolfe had once made up his mind, no danger 
made him afraid. Soon his plans were ready. Yet he 
had little hope of success. Before he made the attempt 
he wrote home to Pitt a letter showing how sad he was, 
'despairing as much as 'heroes can despair,' it was said 
of him. 

The night chosen for the adventure was dark and 
clear. There was no moon, but thousands of stars 
glittered and twinkled, as silently Wolfe's men stepped 
into the boats, and were carried across to the point where 
they were to land. 

No one spoke, the gentle dip of muffled oars was the 



THE PATH OF GLORY 95 

only sound. Wolfe, pale and thin, feeble of body, but 
eager of spirit, sat among his officers. As the boats 
moved slowly along, he repeated softly a poem called 
*An Elegy in a Country Churchyard,' which had been 
written not long before by the poet Gray. * Gentlemen,' 
said Wolfe, as he finished, * I would rather have written 
that poem than take Quebec' 

Slowly the boats drifted on through the silent dark- 
ness. Suddenly a voice rang out through the night. 
' Who goes there ? ' cried a French sentry from the shore. 
* France,' replied a Highland officer, who was in one 
of the first boats, and who could speak French well. 

* What regiment ? ' asked the sentinel. 

* " The Queen's," ' replied the officer. Fortunately he 
knew that the French were expecting some boats with 
food to come down the river, and that 'The Queen's' 
regiment would be guarding them. 

The sentinel was satisfied. 'Pass,' he said, and the 
boats passed on with their loads of anxious, eager 
men. 

But the danger was not over. Again they were 
challenged. Again the Highland officer replied. He 
spoke softly, fearing to speak too clearly lest his accent 
should betray him. But the sentinel was suspicious. 
' Why don't you speak louder ? ' he asked. 

' Hush I ' said the Highlander, ' we are boats with food. 
Don't make a noise, the British will hear us.' 

Once more the sentinel was deceived, and in safety 
the boats at length reached the landing-place. 

Wolfe was among the first to spring to shore. 
Quickly the men followed. For a moment their leader 
stood looking up at the rugged, frowning cliff which rose 
two hundred feet sheer above him. It was far more steep 
than even he had thought. 'You can try it,' he said 



96 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

calmly to an officer near him, * but I don't think you will 
get up.' 

Not get up I With such a leader I The climb began. 
Hot and panting, clinging to roots of trees, branches, 
bushes, slipping and stumbling, the men went on. 

As they neared the top, the rustling of the bushes 
caught the ear of the sentinel above. * Who goes there ? ' 

* France,' replied the same Highland officer who had 
already saved the boats from discovery. 

But this time the sentinel was not deceived. A few 
shots were fired at random into the darkness. It was 
too late. The first man had gained the top. In a few 
minutes Highlanders swarmed over the edge of the cliff. 
The French guard was overpowered and silenced, and 
when the sun rose it shone upon four thousand red coats 
drawn up in battle array upon the Heights of Abraham, 
as the place was called. 

Breathless, panic-stricken messengers hurried with 
the news to the brave French commander. With white 
set face, and eyes hard and fixed, Montcalm looked across 
the plain to where the silent army stood. The long, red 
line showed clear against the dark wood and heavy sky, 
and where the sun broke through the clouds it caught 
the glitter of steel. 

* We must crush them,' said Montcalm. 

Not till ten o'clock did the battle begin. Then 
Montcalm's men advanced. Indians terrible in war-paint 
and scalps, gay French soldiers, daring reckless Canadians, 
on they came. In quivering silence the British awaited 
them. Then the order to charge was given. The air 
was rent with British cheers, and the defiant scream of 
the bagpipes mingled with the Indian war-cry. 

The fight was short and deadly. Everywhere amid 
the havoc strode Wolfe, pale and calm. A shot struck 




SLIPPING AND STUM3I,IN3, THE MEN WENT ON.' 



THE PATH OF GLORY 97 

him in the wrist. Hastily tying his handkerchief round 
it, he went on. Again he was struck. Still he kept on. 
A third shot sent him staggering to the ground. 

Quickly his officers carried him out of the fight. * It 
is all over with me,' he said, as they laid him gently 
down. Then he lay still. 

Suddenly one of the officers who stood beside him 
cried out, * They run I they run I ' 

* Who run ? ' asked Wolfe, raising himself. 

* The enemy, sir,' replied the officer ; ' they give way 
everywhere.' 

* Now, God be praised I ' cried Wolfe, * I die in peace ! ' 
Then he turned on his side and spoke no more. 

Carried along by the rush of fleeing soldiers, Mont- 
calm, sorely wounded, was borne back to Quebec. 
Streaming with blood, reeling in pain, he still sat upon 
his horse, and so was hurried within the gate. There all 
was terror and confusion. * Alas I alas! ' cried a woman 
in the crowd, as she saw the general's stricken face and 
blood-stained coat, ' Alas I alas I the Marquess is killed ! ' 

' It is nothing, it is nothing,' he replied. * Do not 
trouble about me, my good friends.' But even as he 
spoke he fell from his horse. 

M ontcalm too, like his gallant foe, was dying. ' So 
much the better for me,' he sighed ; ' I shall not live to 
see Quebec surrender.' So he died, and with him died 
the hope of France in America. 

Montcalm was buried in a convent within the walls 
of Quebec in a coffin hastily made, in a grave more 
hastily dug. Years later a British governor placed a 
marble slab over the spot. Upon it were the words, 
* Honour to Montcalm. Fate robbing him of victory 
gave him a glorious death.' 

When the great news of the taking of Quebec 

G 



CHAPTER XVIII 

FOR THE EMPIRE 

• There where the Loyalists came. 
And the houses of men were few, 
Little was all their wealth. 
And great were the hardships they knew. 

But greater the hardy faith 
They kept unflinching and fine. 
And chose to be naught in the world 
For the pride of a loyal line.' 

Bliss Carman. 

After the taking of Quebec the war dragged on for 
another year. Then Montreal fell, and on 8th Sep- 
tember 1760, the Marquess of Vaudreuil, the French 
Governor, gave up Canada to the British. In 1763, 
the Peace of Paris was signed, and by it, all Canada, 
and all the land east of the Mississippi, became British 
Possession. 

* With a handful of men,' said Pitt, * General Wolfe 
has added a Kingdom to British rule.' By the Peace 
of Paris the story of New France was ended, and the 
story of British Canada began. 

Britain is a Protestant country. It is also a free 
country, where no man is made to suffer for his religion. 
But at this time, the Roman Catholics were harshly 
treated. They were not allowed to hold any public 
office. They could not be members of parliament, or 

00 



100 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

officers in the army or navy. In no way were they 
allowed to serve their country. King George wanted to 
make these same rules for Canada. But nearly all the 
people in Canada were Roman Catholic, and many saw 
how unfair this would be. So in 1774 the Quebec Act 
was passed. Among other things, this Act did away with 
the differences between Protestant and Catholic, and gave 
the Canadians many of their old French laws again. 
Thus their religion was left to the people of Canada, and 
in many other ways they had far more freedom than ever 
before. 

This pleased the Canadians, but it made many of the 
old British Protestant colonists angry. They declared 
that the French rebels were treated better than they 
were. They grew angry about other things too, and at 
last they rose in rebeUion against the mother country. 
Then the great war began which ended in the loss of all 
the British colonies in America except Canada. For 
Canada, which had been so lately won, not only refused to 
join the rebeUion, but fought against the United States, as 
these lost colonies are now caUed. Once again Quebec 
was besieged. This time it did not faU. The Americans 
were driven away, and Canada became more surely a 
British possession. 

But although the Americans had rebelled against their 
king, there were many among them who were still loyal, 
that, too, in face of scorn and persecution. After peace 
was made, these loyaUsts would not remain in the United 
States. They would not be ruled by a rebel President. 
To prove their loyalty to king and country, they chose 
rather to leave land, houses, money, friends, and all that 
they had. Some went home to England, but most 
journeyed across the boundary line and found a refuge 
in Canada. 



FOR THE EMPIRE 101 

Many a weary mile they trudged on foot, carrying their 
children and the few things they had been able to save 
on horseback. Houseless and tentless they slept at night 
under the open sky. They suffered from cold, hunger 
and weariness, often having to beg their bread, glad to 
accept kindness from the Indians on the way. But no 
hardship made them turn back. 

The British were, and are, proud of these LoyaKsts. 
Parliament voted a large sum of money to help them in 
their troubles, and they were allowed to put the letters 
U.E. after their names. These letters mean United 
Empire. 

The money sent from Britain was spent on food, 
clothes, and tools for the United Empire Loyahsts. To 
each was given a hoe, spade, and axe. A plough and a 
cow were given between each two famihes, and many 
other things to help them to begin life over again were 
divided amongst them. Each one, too, received two 
hundred acres of land in Canada. But in spite of all 
that was done, the first few years were very hard for the 
Loyalists. 

A great part of the west of Canada was still unknown. 
It was wild prairie-land or dark and tangled forest. But 
there, most of the United Empire Loyahsts found a 
home. But at first it was a Hfe of hardship. Many of 
them had left rich and beautiful homes where they had 
been accustomed to every comfort. Now before they 
could find a shelter for their heads, they had to fell 
the trees and build their houses. They had to clear 
the ground and sow and reap, before they could get 
com for bread. They had to hunt and trap wild animals 
for food, often in the end having scarce enough to eat. 
One year the harvest failed, and things were so bad that 
it was called the Famine Year. That year, many of the 



102 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Loyalists had to live on roots, wild berries, and nuts. 
But, through all the suffering and the struggle, none 
wished to go back to America. And we may be proud 
to remember that it is from such brave and loyal men 
and women, that many of the Canadians of to-day are 
descended. 

Some of the Loyalists scattered through Canada, some 
went to what is now Nova Scotia, but most went to the 
west. That part became known as Upper Canada, and 
the part along the St. Lawrence already settled by the 
French, Lower Canada. So it came about that Canada 
was really divided into two. Upper Canada was peopled 
by British Protestants, Lower Canada by French 
Catholics. Each part had its own Legislative Council 
and Assembly, that is, a kind of parliament. In the one 
there was British law, in the other, for the most part, 
French law. One would think that there was no union, 
or likehhood of union, between the two. But they had 
one bond of union — loyalty to their king. And out of 
these widely different peoples came the United Canada 
of to-day, and the French Canadians, through every 
storm and trouble, have proved themselves as staunch 
and true as any Briton born. 



CHAPTER XIX 

THE STORY OF LAURA SECORD 

At home the great Napoleon was fighting Britain. He 
was fighting her on many a bloody battlefield ; he was 
fighting her in other ways, doing his best to ruin British 
trade and shipping. He forbade any country to trade 
with Britain, and his ships watched the seas, ready to 
attack any ship carrying goods to Britain. 

King George replied by forbidding any nation to 
trade with France, and threatening to seize aU ships 
carrying goods to French ports. Here was a state of 
things likely to ruin the trade of many lands. The 
United States did much trade with France, and the 
Americans were very angry with King George for his 
Orders in Council, as his decree was called. They quite 
forgot that Napoleon had begun the quarrel by forbidding 
people to trade with Britain. 

Great Britain, being an island, needs a large navy to 
watch her shores. At this time it was difficult to find 
enough sailors to man her ships, and sometimes, too, the 
sailors would run away. So the British claimed the right 
to search all ships belonging to neutral lands (that is, 
all lands taking neither one side or the other, in the 
quarrel), in order to find runaway sailors. Countries at 
war have always had this right, but it made the 
Americans angry, and on 18th June 1812 they declared 
war against Britain once more. 

lOS 



104 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

But the Americans of course did not sail over to 
Britain to fight there. They had no thought of that. 
But they longed to possess another and much nearer 
land. They marched into Canada and fought there. 
The Canadians had really nothing to do with the quarrel, 
and it was hard that they had to suffer. The Americans 
thought, too, that Canada having been so lately conquered, 
would not want to fight for Britain. They were much 
mistaken. 

If you look on the map, you will see that aU across 
the continent of America the United States and Canada 
he side by side. The line where one country touches 
another is called a frontier. Canada had seventeen 
thousand miles of frontier to defend, and not six 
thousand men with which to do it. And Great Britain 
fighting at home against Napoleon had few soldiers to 
spare. 

But the people of Canada, both French and British, 
gathered to defend their homes. Many Indians too, well 
pleased with British rule, joined them, and the Americans 
found they had no easy task in front of them. 

One of the great heroes of this war is Major-General 
Sir Isaac Brock. He was not a Canadian born, for he 
had been only about ten years in the country. But he 
was a true Canadian at heart. He was a gallant soldier 
and a wise general, and his men loved him, and were 
ready to foUow him anywhere. Again and again he led 
his soldiers to victory, beating armies twice or three 
times more numerous than his own. But at last at the 
battle of Queenston Heights on the Niagara he was 
killed. * Don't mind me I ' he cried, as he fell, * push on, 
boys I ' And with a cry of ' Revenge the general I ' his 
men rushed on, scattering the enemy in flight. Swearing, 
cheering, sobbing, they pursued the fleeing foe till night 



THE STORY OF LAURA SECORD 105 

fell. It was a victory indeed, but one dearly bought 
with the life of their brave commander. 

There were many other men who in this struggle won 
for themselves great and honourable names. But it was 
difficult to find another commander as brave and as clever 
as Brock. So back and forth the fortune of war swayed, 
now one side winning, now another. Many battles were 
fought, many brave deeds done, but I must tell of how 
a woman once saved the British from defeat. A British 
officer named Fitzgibbon had been sent to hold a post 
called Beaver Dams, about twelve miles from Niagara. 
He had only sixty men, half of whom were Red Indians. 
The post was important, and the Americans made up 
their minds to seize it. With great secrecy they made 
their preparations in order to take the post by surprise, 
for a few miles off, at a place called Twelve Mile Creek, 
lay another force of two hundred men. But the 
Americans hoped to surprise Fitzgibbon, so that he should 
have no time to get help. 

The secret, however, leaked out. A Canadian named 
James Secord overheard their talk and learned their plans. 
But he was lying ill. He had fought with Brock at 
Queenston where he had been badly wounded, and he 
was still unable to move. 

With five hundred men, fifty horse and two cannons, 
the Americans were marching upon the handful of men 
at Beaver Dams. Secord knew it, but could do nothing. 
To the helpless sick man the knowledge was torture. 
Only twenty miles away, his fellow-countrymen were 
awaiting certain death, and there was no means of 
warning them. There was no man he could send, for 
aU the country was watched by American sentries. Even 
if any man had been willing to risk his life, Secord knew 
of none he could trust — none but his wife. And to her 



106 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

he whispered the thought that tormented him. *They 
\ must all die,' he said, * for lack of a word of warning.' 

* But that shall not be,* said Laura Secord, ' I wUl go.' 

So as the sun rose on a still June morning, Laura 
Secord started on her long and dangerous walk. There 
was no sign of haste, nothing to show that she was setting 
out upon a journey. Slowly driving a cow before her, as 
if she were taking it home to be milked, she passed the 
American sentries. Slowly down the country road she 
passed. The birds were singing in the dawn, the air was 
sweet with the scent of wild flowers, and as Laura walked, 
her dress brushed the dew from the grass. But no eyes 
had she, or ears, for the beauty of the day. With beating 
heart, and breath that came and went sharply, she strolled 
along. At last the edge of the forest was reached. Under 
the shadow of the great trees passed the woman and the 
cow. Soon they were deep in the forest, shut from all 
eyes. Then there was no more need of pretence. Leaving 
her cow to find its way home as best it might, Laura ran. 
On and on she went, panting, breathless, gasping, now 
stopping a moment to rest, now hurrying on again, startled 
by a rustle in the bushes, trembling at the howl of some 
wild animal. 

A walk of twenty miles along a level, well-made road 
may not seem a great task for a strong woman used to a 
country Hfe. But to go twenty miles through pathless 
forest, over bridgeless streams, through mire and swamp, 
haunted every moment by the fear of discovery, needed all 
the strength and all the courage of a right brave woman. 

Hour by hour Laura walked, and ran, and scrambled 
onward. The sun rose high, and sank again, and the 
moon shone out ere she reached her journey's end. Then, 
just as she thought that her labour was over, Red Men 
rushed out upon her from behind a tree, and barred her 




DRIVING A COW BEFORE HER, T.AURA SECORD PASSBD THE AMERICAN 



THE STORY OF LAURA SECORD 107 

path. For a moment it seemed to Laura that her pain 
and toil had been of no use, and that a death of torture 
was to be her fate. Then joyfully she saw that the 
Indians were friendly. In a few minutes she was led 
before Fitzgibbon. 

Quickly Laura's story was told, and as the soldier 
listened, he bowed in reverence before the brave lady. 
Then with glowing words of thanks and praise ringing in 
her ears, Laura was led away to a farmhouse near to rest. 

Quickly Fitzgibbon made his plans. First he sent a 
messenger hurrying towards Twelve Mile Creek to ask 
for help. Then he ordered his Indians to scatter through 
the wood, and watch for the approach of the enemy. 

The night passed quietly, but as the day dawned, the 
gleam of steel was seen, the tramp of men heard. As the 
Americans came on, the Indians, yeUing horribly, fired 
upon them from aU sides. They made so much noise, 
they fired with such deadly sureness, keeping out of 
sight all the time, that the Americans believed that there 
were hundreds against them. For two hours the fight 
against an unseen foe lasted. Then the Americans began 
to waver. Their leader was uncertain what to do. Be- 
lieving himself surrounded, he hesitated whether to go on 
or to go back. At this moment Fitzgibbon, at the head 
of his thirty redcoats, appeared bearing a flag of truce. 
The firing ceased, and after a few minutes' parley the 
American commander gave in. 

Fitzgibbon had hardly expected to succeed so easily. 
Now he scarcely knew what to do. How could thirty 
soldiers and a few savages guard five hundred prisoners ? 
But soon two hundred men arrived from Twelve Mile 
Creek, and his difficulties were at an end. 

Canada did not forget Laura Secord and her brave 
deed. Nor did Britain forget her. Years later, when 



108 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

King Edward, then Prince of Wales, visited Canada, 
he found time, in the midst of balls and parties, to 
go to see an old woman, and hear from her own lips 
how, when she was young, she had carried a message 
through wood and wilderness to save her country from 
defeat. 



CHAPTER XX 

RED RIVER SETTLEMENT 

For two years the war of 1812, as it was called, went on. 
From beginning to end it was a wicked, useless war, 
thrust upon an unwilling people. And when at last 
peace came, neither side seemed to have gained any- 
thing. The boundary lines were hardly changed, and 
in the treaty of peace, the pretended causes of the war 
were not even mentioned. 

But Canada did really gain something. The popula- 
tion of Canada was now very mixed. There were French 
Canadians, United Empire Loyalists, English, Scottish 
and Irish settlers, and they had often been jealous of 
each other, and had misunderstood each other. Now 
that a common danger had drawn them together, they 
had aU joined in fighting for their country, and Canada 
had shown, as she has shown ever since, that she was 
*for the Empire.' Strange to say, too, when the heat of 
battle was past, the bitterness which had been between 
America and Canada began to pass away, for each nation 
had learned to respect his neighbour beyond the frontier. 

But while the war was going on, a struggle of another 
kind was taking place in the Great North- West. 

You remember how the Hudson Bay Company had 
been founded, and how, in spite of fearful difficulties it 
had grown and prospered. Soon after the Conquest (that 
is the conquest of Canada from the French), another 



110 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

fur company was formed called the North- West Com- 
pany, and later still there was a third called the X. Y. 
Company. Soon all these three companies began to 
quarrel, and whenever their men or officers met, there 
was sm"e to be fighting. They stole each other's fm*s 
whenever they could, and often the skins passed through 
the hands of all three before reaching the market. 

Things were in tliis state when a Scottish nobleman, 
the Earl of Selkirk, began to take a great interest in the 
fur trade and in the Hudson Bay Company. From the 
Company he got a grant of a large piece of land near Lake 
Winnipeg, and began to form a settlement there. 

Lord Selkirk brought his settlers from the Highlands 
of Scotland. They were men and women used to a 
rough cHmate and a hard life. But hard as their life had 
been, they came to a much harder. On the way out 
they suffered from fever and hunger on board ship. 
When they arrived they had to pass a winter on the icy 
shores of Hudson Bay in clothes warm enough perhaps 
for Scotland, but not half warm enough for the icy north. 

At last, however, the bitter cold winter passed, spring 
came, and the settlers journeyed to Red River, where they 
were to build their new homes, and begin life afresh. 

But the Xor'- Westers were the sworn enemies of the 
Hudson Bay Company, they were the enemies too of 
these new settlers. They wanted to keep the North- 
West to themselves, and they vowed to root out these 
' gardeners ' and shepherds who came to turn their 
hunting-grounds into wheat-field and pasture. Besides 
the Xor'- Westers, Lord Selkirk had another enemy in the 
Metis or Bois-Brules. These were a race half French, 
half Indian, the children of the roving Coureurs de Bois. 
They loved the wild wastes and soHtudes. Their home 
was the rolling prairie, their roof the sky. They wanted 



RED RIVER SETTLEMENT m 

no towns and churches, no herds and wheat-fields, and as 
more and more land was settled by farmers, as trees were 
felled, and the earth furrowed by the plough, the Metis 
retreated to the wilds. Now they gladly joined the Nor'- 
Westers in ousting the new comers, who wanted to turn 
yet more of their beloved wildemess into ploughed land. 

So scarcely had the Scottish settlers arrived when 
there swooped down upon them an armed company of 
Nor'- West men, fierce in Indian war-paint, and very 
terrible to the eyes of these simple Highlanders. 

The Nor'- Westers succeeded in what they had set out 
to do. The little band of settlers were so terrified that 
they fled for refuge to the Hudson Bay Company's fort 
at Pembiua, lea^iug all their scanty wealth in the hands 
of the enemy. 

But Highlanders are not easily beaten. They bided 
their time, and the next year they returned to Red River. 
buUt theu- houses, ploughed and sowed their land, and 
settled down in peace. 

But the peace was not for long. Once ao-aia the 
Nor'- Westers swooped down upon the new colonists. 
Agam, they were scattered, and, where theu- homes had 
been, lay a heap of black and smoking ruins. 

But the struggle was not over. More men came from 
Scotland, many of the scattered colonists returned, and 
once more Red River rose from its ashes. 

Then followed months of hardship and struggle, a 
fight with cold and hunger, with difficulties and dangers 
of all kinds. Even to these sturdy Highlanders, bred to 
hardship and toU, the life proved too dreadful 3Iany of 
them gave up the struggle, and fought their way back 
through wilderness and forest to Canada, or died on the 
way. Others, false to their friends, took the easier way, 
and joined their enemies, the Nor'- Westers. 



112 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

But the Nor'- Westers were not content. They had 
sworn the utter destruction of the colony, and they meant 
to keep their word. So one June day, three hundred 
half-breeds, fearfully bedaubed with paint, gay in savage 
splendour, rode down upon the settlement. The governor 
and about thirty men went out to meet them. They were 
quickly surrounded, and he and about twenty of his men 
were shot dead. 

Those who were left fled back to the fort, where soon 
all was terror and confusion. Children cried out in fear, 
women wept for their dead, or, stricken and white, 
awaited they knew not what fate. 

Two days later, robbed of all they possessed, the 
remaining colonists left their homes to the flames and 
the destroyer, and wandered forth again houseless and 
penniless. 

But while the Nor'-Westers drank and sang, and 
rejoiced at the utter downfall of Red River, Lord Selkirk 
was on his way to avenge his people. With about a 
hundred men he arrived at Fort William, the chief post 
of the Nor'-Westers. Forcing the gate he took posses- 
sion of the town, and the murderers were soon made 
prisoner and sent to Montreal to be tried. 

Again the colonists returned to their ruined, forsaken 
homes, but the summer was gone, and the harvest poor. 
Famine stared them in the face, and after fearful suffer- 
ings and long endurance, they once more took refuge 
at Pembina. 

In the spring, however, they came back again. This 
time all seemed to go well. In peace the fields were 
ploughed and sown. In peace the corn sprang up, grew 
and ripened. Then one summer afternoon the sky was 
darkened. The air was filled with the hum and buzz of 
insects, and a flight of locusts settled on the land. 



RED RIVER SETTLEMENT 113 

They covered the trees and the fields, they swarmed 
in the houses. At night the earth was smiling and 
green. In the morning it was a grey wilderness. 

Once again ruin and famine stared the settlers in the 
face. The onslaught of wild half-breeds had been easier 
to bear than this. They at least could be fought. But 
against this new enemy the stoutest arm, the bravest 
heart, was helpless. Stricken with despair, many a 
strong man bowed his head and sobbed as if his heart 
would break. 

Once more, with weary feet, the colonists trudged 
the well-known way to Pembina, there to spend the 
winter on the charity of the Hudson Bay Com- 
pany. 

The next year it was found to be useless to plough 
or sow, for the locusts still swarmed everywhere, killing 
each green blade as it sprang to life, and poisoning 
both air and water with their dying millions. But the 
colonists lit great fires which attracted the locusts ; they 
fell into the fires in thousands, and at last the plague was 
burned out. The land was sown once more, and after 
eight years of struggle and disaster Red River Settle- 
ment began to prosper. Then tired of fighting, the 
Hudson Bay Company and the North-West Company 
joined together and shared the fur trade between them. 
So there was peace. 

But the struggles of the Red River colonists were by 
no means over. For many a year their life was full of 
hardship, but bit by bit they won success. And to-day 
the great corn prairies of Manitoba stretch mile upon 
mile. The golden grain ripens in the summer sun, 
falls beneath the sharp knives of the reaping-machine, 
and is carried far and wide to give food to the world 
and bring wealth to Canada. And we look back, and 

H 



114 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

remember with pride, the Scotsman who first saw that 
these lands were good for corn-growing, and the brave 
colonists who would not be beaten, and who returned 
again and yet again with unconquered courage, until at 
last they won the battle against misfortune. 



CHAPTER XXI 

LOUIS RIEL 

During the war of 1812 Upper and Lower Canada had 
been drawn together. French and British forgot their 
differences and jealousies. But when peace had once 
more come these differences and jealousies were felt 
again, and the French especially thought that they had 
not enough voice in the ruling of the land. Many of 
them were still very ignorant, being able neither to read 
nor write. These scarcely knowing what they wanted, 
but easily led by a handful of clever and discontented 
men, rose in rebellion. 

This RebelUon they called the Patriot War. There 
w^as never any real reason for it, and it was soon over. 
But it made wise people see that something must be 
done to prevent such discontent in the future. So it 
came about that Canada, which, in 1791, had been divided 
into British Canada and French Canada, was, in 1841, 
united again. It was decided that there should be only 
one Parliament, to which both French and British should 
come in equal numbers. It was also decided that the 
colony should have 'responsible government.' Respons- 
ible government means government by those who are 
responsible, or answerable to, the greater number. They 
may continue to rule only so long as the greater number 
of the people wish them to do so. When they can no 
longer get the greater number to vote for them they 

lis 



116 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

must cease to rule. Then there is a * General election/ 
and people choose again those whom they wish to have 
power. 

The Assembly of Upper Canada had met at Toronto, 
that of Lower Canada at Quebec. The new parliament 
now met at Kingston, on Lake Ontario, which was 
between the two, and beautiful romantic Quebec was left 
lonely on its rock. 

For the next few years parliament was moved from 
place to place, no one being able to fix which was best. 
At last Queen Victoria was asked to settle the question. 
She chose a little village on the river Ottawa. And 
there at Ottawa fine new buildings were built, and there 
the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada has sat ever 
since. 

But this union of Upper and Lower Canada did not 
mean the whole of Canada as we see it marked on our 
maps to-day. It meant only the two states of Ontario 
and Quebec. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and all the 
great land knovni as the North- West Territory were still 
separate provinces. But gradually these lands joined 
the union, and now the Dominion of Canada stretches all 
across the north of America from sea to sea. Ontario, 
Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, British 
Columbia, and Prince Edward Island, are the names of 
the provinces which make up the great Dominion. New- 
foundland alone has a separate government. 

As time went on and Canada grew into a united whole 
it was no longer thought well that any province should 
be ruled by a company, and all the lands belonging to 
the Hudson Bay Company were brought under the direct 
rule of the Canadian Government. 

Since the days of Lord Selkirk Red River had pros- 
pered. Bit by bit the wild prairie had been reclaimed. 



LOUIS KIEL 117 

It had been ploughed and sown, and now corn-fields 
waved where lately the bison had roamed. Houses, 
schools, and churches stood where pine and hemlock tree 
had towered their dark heads for ages. The wild M^tis 
had forgotten their hate, and side by side thrifty Scottish 
settlers and adventurous French half-breeds lived in 
peace, the one carefiil and saving, the other careless, 
passionate and spendthrift. 

But most of these half-breeds knew, and cared, 
nothing for Canada. To them the Company was every- 
thing, and they were content to live beneath its rule. 
But when they heard that Canada, not the Company, 
was to rule ui future, they thought that they were being 
given over to some foreign power. 

The M^tis were very ignorant, and it was a pity that 
no one was sent to explain to these simple people what 
was really happening ; it might have saved the shedding 
of much blood and many tears. No one was sent, and 
so they rose in rebellion, led by a man called Louis 
Kiel. 

Louis Kiel, himself a M^ti, was a clever, but half- 
educated man. He thought himself a patriot, and soon 
had an army of six or seven hundred men behind him. 
They took possession of Fort Garry, one of the strongest 
of the Hudson Bay Company's forts. They made many 
of the settlers prisoners, and proclaimed a new govern- 
ment, of which Riel was president. 

Backed by his army the new president did as he 
liked, taking prisoner and banishing whom he chose. 
One of the worst things he did was to condemn a young 
man named Scott to death, because he had spoken scorn- 
fully of his government. After a mere mockery of a 
trial, Scott was led out and shot mercilessly by some half- 
drunk M^tis. 



118 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

The news of this murder rang like a war-cry through 
all Canada. It roused to indignation every fair-miuded 
Canadian, and Colonel Garnet Wolseley, a young British 
officer then in Canada, was sent to Fort Garry to put 
down the rebellion. But when Riel heard of his coming 
he ran away to the United States, and the rebeUion 
was at an end. 

This disturbed part of the dominion was now made 
into the proviuce of Manitoba, and many of the things 
for which Riel had fought were granted by the Manitoba 
Act. 

But fifteen years later Riel came agaia, and there 
was another and far more serious rebeUion. It is diffi- 
cult to explain all the causes for this rebeUion. The 
Mdtis thought that they were being badly treated by 
the Government. They thought that their land was 
being taken from them, and that they had not enough 
power in Parliament. They could get no one to Usten 
to their grievances, so at length they sent to Riel, and 
asked him to come to help them. 

Riel came, but this time he seemed more Hke a 
madman than a patriot. He caUed himself * The Libera- 
tor,' and said that he was the bearer of a message from 
God. He Uved in a curious fashion, eating chiefly blood 
boUed in milk, and did many things to try to make 
people think that he was truly the messenger from God 
that he said he was. 

But in spite of his mad antics, or perhaps because 
of them, Riel had soon a large army of Metis at his 
back. And not only Metis, but Red Men foUowed him. 
Tribe after tribe smeared their faces with war-paint, 
danced the war-dance, and set out to join the rebels. 
The North- West was fuU of the nameless horror and 
terror of the Red Man, as Canada had been long years 



LOUIS RIEL 119 

before. Great and terrible as their names, were some of 
the chiefs who took part in the war — Big Bear, Wander- 
ing Spirit, Yellow Mud, Bare Neck, and Man-Who-Wins 
were some of them — and there were many more with as 
strange and high-sounding names. 

As soon as the rebellion began, the news of it flashed 
Hke wild-fire over Canada, and from all sides volunteers 
came, eager to fight for their country. For weeks and 
months the rattle of firearms and the terrible Indian 
war-cry was heard in the North-West, and all the land 
was filled with blood and tears. But in the end the 
rebels were beaten. Riel was taken prisoner, tried, and 
condemned to death for high treason, for he * did mali- 
ciously and treacherously levy and make war against our 
Lady, the Queen.' 

With Riel were hanged eight Indians, and a few 
others were imprisoned. So ended what is known as 
the Saskatchewan rebellion. 

With this rebellion, war in Canada came to an end, 
so that since then the country has found time and 
strength to grow great. And thus we leave a united 
and peaceful Canada. From that June day, hundreds 
of years ago, on which John Cabot landed to plant the 
red cross of St. George upon * the new isle,' it has grown 
step by step until it is a mighty Dominion, stretching 
from sea to sea. It is a nation within a nation, strong 
and prosperous in itself, and yet a part of our great 
Empire. 



120 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



LIST OF KINGS AND GO\^RNORS 



Kings op Great Bri- 
tain AND Ireland. 


Kings of 


France. 


Rulers of Canada. 




James VI. . . 1603 


Henry iv. 
Louis XIII. 


. . 1589 
. 1610 


Samuel de Champlain 


1608 


Charles i. . . 1625 


Louis XIV. 


. 1643 


Chevalier de Montmagny 
Chevalier d'Ailleboust . 


1636 
1648 


Commonwealth 1649 






Jean de Lauzon . . . 
Vicomte d'Argenson . . 


1651 
1658 


Charles n. . 1660 






Baron D'Avaugour . . 
Sieur de Mesy .... 
Chevalier de Courcelles . 
Comte de Frontenac . . 
Sieur de la Barre . . . 


1661 
1663 
1665 
1672 
1682 


James ii. . . 1685 






Marquis de Denonville . 


1685 


William and 






Comte de Frontenac . . 


1689 


Mary . . 1689 










William iii. 










(alone) . . 1694 






Chevalier de Callieres 


1698 


Anne . . . 1702 






Marquis de Vaudreuil 


1703 


George I. . . 1714 


Louis XV. 


. . 1716 


Marquis de Beauharnois 


1726 


George ii. . . 1727 






Comte de la Galissoniere 
Marquis de la Jonquiere 
Marquis Duquesne . . 
Marquis de Vaudreuil 

BRITISH GOVERNORS 


1747 
1749 

1762 
1765 


George iii. . 1760 


Louis XVI. 


. 1774 


Lord Amherst .... 
Sir James Murray . . . 
Sir Guy CarletOD . . . 

Major-General Haldeman 

Henry Hamilton . . . 

Lord Dorchester . . . 

(Sir Guy Carleton) 


1760 
1763 
1766 

1777 
1786 
1786 




Republic 


. . 1792 







LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS 



121 



Kings of Great Bri- 
tain AND Ireland. 



Kings op France. 



George iv. . 1820 



William ly. 
Victoria . 



1830 
1837 



Napoleon i. . 1804 
(Emperor) 

Louis XVIII. . 1814 



Rulers op Canada. 



Gen. Sir R. Prescott . . 1796 



Charles x. 1824 

Louis Philippe 1830 



Republic . . 
Napoleon iii. 
(Emperor) 



1848 
1862 



Sir James Craig 
Sir George Prevost 

Sir J. Sherbrooke . 
Duke of Richmond 
Lord Dalhousie 

Sir James Kempt . 
Lord Aylmer . . 
Lord Gosford . . 

Sir John Colborne 
Lord Durham . 
I Hon. C. Poulett . 

governors-general of 

united canada 

Lord Sydenham . . . 1339 

(Hon. C. Poulett) 
Sir Charles Bagot . . . 1842 
Lord Metcalfe .... 1843 
Earl Cathcart . . . ] 1845 
Earl of Elgin .... 1847 



1807 
1811 

1816 
1818 
1820 

1828 
1830 
1836 

1838 
1838 
1839 



Republic 



1870 



I Edward vii. . 1901 
George V. . 1910 



Sir Edmund Bond Head . 1854 

Viscount Monck . . . I86I 

GOVERNORS-GENERAL OP THE 
DOMINION. 

Sir John Young , , . I868 
(Lord Lisgar) 

I Earl of Dufferin . , . 1872 

Marquis of Lome . . . 1878 

Marquis of Lansdowne . 1883 

Earl of Derby .... 1888 

Earl of Aberdeen . . . 1893 

Earl of Minto .... 1898 

Earl Grey 1904 



H.R.H. The 

Connaught 



Duke of 



1911 



AUSTRALIA 



Note. — The verses in this part of the book are by 
Australian writers. 



CHAPTER I 

* THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN' 

Wise people tell us that the land of Australia is perhaps 
the oldest in the world. At a time when the wide ocean 
swept over the continent of Europe, when our Httle island 
still lay far beneath the rippling waves, the land of 
Australia stood above the lone waters. 

Yet to us Australia is a new discovered country. 
Long ages ago indeed travellers and learned men told 
tales of a Great South Land which lay somewhere in the 
Southern Seas. But no eye had seen that fabled country, 
no ship had touched that unknown shore. It was a 
country dim and mysterious as fairyland. On ancient 
maps we find it marked with rough uncertain lines, 'The 
Southerne Unknowne Lande,' but how it came to be so 
marked, how the stories about it first came to be told, 
and believed, we shall very likely never know. 

It is hard to tell too, who, among white men, first set 
foot on this great island. If one of the brave sailors of 
those far-off times did by chance touch upon its shore, 
he found Httle there to make him stay, or encourage him 
to return. For in those days what men chiefly sought 
was trade. And in Australia there was no place for 
trade. It was a great, wide, silent land where there 
were no towns, or even houses. It was peopled only by 
a few black savages, who wore no clothes, who had no 
wants, and who cared for nothing but to eat and drink. 



126 OUR, EMPIRE STORY 

But in the seventeenth century, when Holland was 
mistress of the seas, and the Dutch planted their flag on 
every shore, they found their way to the Great South 
Land. 

It was a Dutchman who discovered Tasmania. He 
called it Van Dieman's Land in honour of the Governor- 
General of the Dutch East Indies. But the name was 
afterwards changed to Tasmania, by which name we 
know it now. The great Gulf of Carpentaria is named 
after another Dutchman, and all round the northern, 
western and southern shores, here and there may be found 
names to remind us of those old Dutch adventurers. 
But the name New Holland which the Dutch gave to the 
whole land has long since been forgotten. 

The Dutch did httle more than discover the coast. 
They founded no colonies, they built no towns, and so 
their hold on the land was hardly real. They marked 
New Holland upon their maps, but they knew httle 
about it. No man knew what a vast land New Holland 
was, or how far stretching were the rolUng plains of which 
they had had only a glimpse. 

Soon Holland as a great sea power gave way to 
another which was to become stiQ greater. Van Tromp 
the Dutchman was beaten by Blake the Englishman. 
And after that the Dutch seem to have lost all interest 
in the Great South Land. 

Then in 1699 a British sailor called Dampier set out 
on a voyage of discovery to the Southern seas. He was 
more than half a pirate and had led a life of wild adven- 
ture. But he was a daring seaman, and had already 
been to New Holland more than once. And so King 
WilHam iii. chose him to lead an expedition of discovery. 

One February day Dampier sailed out from England, 
and six months later anchored in a bay on the west coast 



'NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN' 127 

of New Holland, which he called Shark's Bay, because 
his men killed and ate many sharks there. It is still 
called Shark's Bay. 

For some time Dampier cruised along the shores 
taking note of all that he saw, of the land, the birds, and 
beasts. Among the birds, Dampier saw gaily coloured 
parrots and cockatoos, and black swans. Among the 
beasts, the chief was a curious-looking animal with a long 
tail and long hind legs upon which it leaped and hopped 
about. The natives called it Kanguro. 

He saw a few natives. They were tall, thin, and 
black, with blinking eyes and frizzled hair. They had 
no weapons except wooden spears, they wore no clothes, 
and their houses, which he only saw in the distance, 
looked to him like haycocks. But some had no houses 
at aU. * They lay in the open air without covering, the 
earth being their bed and heaven their canopy. They 
had no possessions of any kind. Not soe much as a catt 
or a dog.' With such people there was no hope of trade, 
and in those days no one thought of taking possession 
of a land unless there was some trade to be done. 

Having cruised about for some time and finding no 
fresh water, Dampier feared to stay longer, lest his men 
should fall ill in that desert land. So he steered away to 
the East Indies and from thence sailed homeward. 

Many years passed. Now and again a ship touched 
upon the shores of New Holland but no one took much 
interest in it. It was a barren, useless land most men 
thought, a stony desert for the greater part, good enough 
for the few wild black fellows who lived there, but never 
a home for white men. Besides this, the British, who 
were now the great sea power, were busy fighting in 
India and America, and had Httle time and few ships 
to spare for peaceful exploration. 



128 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

But in the long reign of George iii., when after much 
fighting Britain was at length at peace with all the world, 
men once more turned their thoughts to peaceful things. 
Then in 1768 Captain James Cook was sent upon an 
exploring expedition. 

James Cook had had a very exciting life, but there is 
no room to tell about it here. As a small boy he was 
sent to serve in a draper's shop, but at the age of fourteen 
he ran away to sea, and from then till now when he was 
forty, his life had been full of excitement and adventure. 

In this voyage, Captain Cook sailed aU along the 
eastern coast of Australia, a thing which no white man 
had ever done. He landed in many places, naming capes, 
bays, and points, as he passed. One great bay he named 
Botany Bay, because of the many plants and flowers to 
be found there. And here he set up the Union Jack, 
cut the name of his ship and the date of his landing on 
the trees near, and claimed the land for King George. 

Cook and his men had many adventures. At one 
time they were nearly wrecked. The ship struck upon 
a rock and stuck fast. The water began to come in so 
quickly, that although the men worked hard at the pumps, 
it seemed as if the ship would sink. But luckily the sea 
was smooth, and there was little wind, and after much 
hard work they were able to steer into a safe harbour. 
Here they ran the ship ashore, and found a hole in the 
bottom big enough to have sunk it. But by good 
fortune a piece of coral rock had stuck in the hole, and 
this had saved them. 

Having mended the ship as best they could they once 
more set sail, and at last reached what is now known as 
Torres Strait, having explored the whole eastern coast of 
Australia. 

At Torres Strait Cook landed. Once more he set 



* NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN' 129 

up the British flag and claimed the whole eastern coast 
with all its bays, harbours, rivers, and islands, for King 
George. And to this great tract he gave the name of 
New South Wales. There in that far-ofF land, their little 
ship, a mere speck between blue sky and bluer sea, this 
handful of Britons claimed new realms for their king. 
And to attest their claim, voUey upon volley of musketry 
rolled out, awakening the deep silence of that unknown 
shore. There was none to answer or deny the challenge, 
and when the noise of cannon died upon the quiet air 
there was only the sigh of trees, the ripple of waves, and 
the scream of wild birds to break the stillness. 



CHAPTER II 

THE FOUNDING OF SYDNEY 

After Cook sailed away the great island-continent was left 
once again to silent loneliness. Cook made other voyages, 
but did not discover much more of Australia, and for 
many years few white men touched upon the shores of 
the Great South Land. 

Then came the war in which Britain lost all her 
American colonies. It was a great loss, how great at 
the time perhaps few knew. But in one way the loss 
soon began to be felt. 

The British in those days instead of keeping evil- 
doers in prison at home, used to send them to work upon 
the farms or plantations in America. When America 
was no longer a part of the British Empire, convicts, as 
such evil-doers were called, could not be sent there. The 
prisons at home became fuU to overflowing. Something 
had to be done, and at last it was decided to make use of 
New South Wales and found a colony there to which 
convicts might be sent. 

So on 13th May 1787, the * First Fleet,' as it after- 
wards came to be called by Australians, sailed out on its 
long voyage. In the eight or ten ships there were about 
a thousand people. Nearly eight hundred of these were 
convicts, both men and women, the rest were soldiers and 
marines to guard them. 

130 



THE FOUNDING OF SYDNEY 131 

With the fleet, as Governor-General of the new 
colony, went Captain Arthur Phillip. 

On the way out the ships stopped at TenerifFe and 
at Cape Town, where the Dutch Governor received them 
kindly. Here they took aboard so many cocks and hens, 
sheep and cattle, that the ships looked more like Noah's 
arks than anything else. 

In June 1788 the new colonists arrived at Botany 
Bay, where it had been decided to found the colony. But 
Captain Phillip did not think it a good place, and went 
exploring in a small boat further north until he found the 
beautiful Jackson Bay. 

Here Captain Phillip decided to found the new colony. 
He landed and set up the Union Jack, and gathering 
round the flagstaff, he and his oflicers drank to the king's 
health, and to the success of the colony. 

The convicts were landed, the soldiers were drawn up 
in line, guns were fired, and Captain PhilHp made a speech 
to the convicts. He told them that now under a new 
sky, in a new home, they had once again a chance to 
forget their evil ways, and begin a new life. Once again 
they had a chance to prove themselves good British 
subjects. This was the first speech in the English 
language that had ever been made in that far-off land, 
and when Captain Phillip had finished, a British cheer 
rang out. 

Thus the city of Sydney was founded. 

Now began a busy time. The stillness of that silent 
land was broken for ever. All day long the woods rang 
with the sound of the axe. All day long the ring of 
hammer and anvil was heard, the tinkle of the mason's 
trowel, the sighing of the carpenter's saw. There was 
everything to do. There were houses to build, roads to 
cut, harbours to make. The land had first to be cleared 



132 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

of trees, and wood and stone had to be quarried and 
hewn for building. With all this to do, there was little 
time left for farming. 

Besides, among the soldiers, and sailors, and convicts, 
there were no farmers. None among them knew how to 
set about the work. The season was dry, the seed which 
was sown did not sprout, or was eaten by rats, and there 
was Uttle or no harvest. The sheep and cattle died, or 
ran away into the forest and were seen no more. 

Soon the food which had been brought from home 
grew scarce, and the promised ships which were to bring 
more, did not appear. The little colony began to starve. 
Convicts and freemen alike grew gaunt and pale. The 
governor himself knew what it meant to go hungry, for 
he would not fare better than the others, and he gave 
up his private stores for the use of aU. ' If any convict 
complains,' he said, ' let him come to Government House, 
and he will see that we are no better off there.' 

Hollow-cheeked and faint, every man looked eagerly, 
longingly, out to sea, straining weary eyes to catch a 
gUmpse of a white sail upon the blue waste of water. 
Day after day passed. No sail appeared. Little work 
was done, for men who are always hungry carmot work. 

The colonists had brought food for two years. Now 
three had passed, and still no help came fr*om home. 
With hundreds and hundreds of miles between them and 
Britain, they seemed to be cast away and forgotten. 
They knew nothing of what was happening in the world. 
They had no means of knowing if they were reaUy for- 
gotten, or if some mischance had befallen the ships sent 
out to them. There was no way by which they could 
send a message home. They could do nothing but wait. 

At last one morning a ship came in sight. What joy 
there was 1 The women wept, the men cheered. 



THE FOUNDING OF SYDNEY 133 

Eagerly the colonists crowded round the new arrivals 
asking for news of home. They heard with joy that they 
had not been utterly forgotten and neglected. Ships 
with stores had been sent, but had been wrecked on the 
way. 

Soon another ship arrived, then another and another, 
The long pain of hunger was at an end, and for a time 
at least the little colony was saved from starvation. But 
famine came upon them again, and at one time things 
were so bad that people who were asked to dine at 
Government House were told to bring their own bread 
with them. 

With the ships bringing food to the colony came a 
regiment of soldiers. They were called the New South 
Wales Corps. The Marines and their officers, who had 
come out in the * First Fleet,' then went home ; and 
Captain Phillip was not sorry that they should go, for 
although they had been sent out to help to keep the 
convicts in order, they had themselves been very unruly, 
and had added much to the governor's difficulties. 
These difficulties were great, for it was no easy matter to 
rule a colony made up of wild, bad men, sent there in 
punishment of their misdeeds. But, as will be seen, the 
New South Wales Corps was not much help to the 
governor. 

In December 1792 Governor Phillip, worn out by 
five years of hardship, gave up his post and sailed home. 

He was succeeded by Captain Hunter, but until he 
arrived the colony was left in the hands of Major Grose, 
leader of the New South Wales Corps. 

Captain Phillip had been gentle and just. He had 
shared every hardship with the colonists, and had tried to 
make the convicts better. Grose cared nothing for the 
improvement of the convicts, and he was utterly unfit to 



134 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

rule. He allowed the soldiers to do as they liked, and 
they very soon became wild, riotous, and drunken. They 
took everything into their own hands, and soon from 
being merely soldiers, they became the merchants and 
rulers of the colony. Everything coming into the colony 
had to pass through their hands. But the thing they 
traded in most, and made most money out of, was rum. 

Some free settlers had now come to Sydney, and they 
were allowed to have convicts to help them on their 
farms. The officers and men of the New South Wales 
Corps also took land, and had convict labourers, whom 
they paid for their work in rum. The soldiers made 
friends of these convicts, and they drank and gambled 
together, so that the convicts, instead of becoming 
better, became worse, and when Governor Hunter 
arrived, he found that all the good that Governor 
Phillip had done was destroyed. The whole colony was 
filled with riot, disorder, drunkenness, and misery. 

Captain Hunter tried to put things right again. He 
tried to stop the trade in rum, but he was not strong 
enough to do it. The * Rum Corps,' as the soldiers came 
to be called, had got the upper hand, and they meant to 
keep it. So during the whole time of Hunter's rule, he 
had to fight the men and officers of the Rum Corps. 

This was the darkest time in the whole history of 
Australia. But dark though it was, it was now that the 
foundation of Australia's greatness in trade was laid. 

With the New South Wales Corps there had come out 
a Captain John MacArthur. He, Hke so many others, 
received a grant of land, and began farming. He soon 
saw that the land was very good for rearing sheep, and 
began to turn his attention to them. But whereas others 
thought of rearing them for food, he thought of them 
for their wool. After a great deal of trouble he got 



THE FOUNDING OF SYDNEY 135 

' wool-bearing sheep,' first from the Cape, and then from 
King George's own famous flock of Spanish merino sheep. 
At this time the British got most of the wool they 
needed for their great factories from Spain. But 
Napoleon, who was fighting Britain in every way possible, 
now tried to ruin their trade by forbidding all the people 
of Europe to trade with them. When they could no 
longer get wool from Spain, the British wool trade 
began to suffer. Then it was that MacArthur stepped 
in. From his sheep-farm he was soon able to send ship- 
loads of wool to the factories at home, thus preventing 
the ruin of British manufactures, and bringing wealth to 
Australia. From then till now the industry has grown, 
and now millions of pounds' worth of wool are exported 
every year. 



CHAPTER III 

THE ADVENTURES OF GEORGE BASS AND 
MATTHEW FLINDERS 

* See ! girt with tempest and wing'd with thunder, 
And clad with hghtning and shod with sleet. 
The strong waves treading the swift waves, sunder 
The flying rollers with frothy feet. 
One gleam like a blood-shot sword swims on 
The skyline, staining the green gulf crimson, 
A death stroke fiercely dealt by a dim sun, 
That strikes through his stormy winding-sheet. 

Oh ! brave white horses ! you gather and gallop. 
The storm sprite loosens the gusty reins ; 
Now the stoutest ship were the frailest shallop 
In your hollow backs, on your high arched manes.' 

A. Lindsay Gordon. 

It was not until the town of Sydney had been founded 
for some years that anything was known of the great 
island upon which it was built. But at last people 
became curious to know more about their new home. 

When Captain John Hunter came out from home as 
Governor of New South Wales, there came with him two 
daring young men. The one was George Bass, the ship's 
doctor, and the other Matthew Flinders, a midshipman. 
Flinders was only twenty-one, and Bass a few years 
older. 

These two soon became fast friends. They both 
were eager to know more of the land to which they had 



GEORGE BASS AND MATTHEW FLINDERS 137 

come, and about a month after they arrived in Sydney, 
they set out on a voyage of discovery in a Httle boat of 
eight feet long. They called it the Tom Thumb, and 
the whole crew was themselves and a boy. 

In this tiny boat they sailed out into the great Pacific, 
and made for Botany Bay. Here they cruised in and 
out of aU the creeks and bays, making maps of every- 
thing, and after an adventurous time they got safely 
back to Sydney. But they were not long content to 
remain there. Soon they started out agaui, and again 
had many adventures. 

Once they got into such a storm that their little boat 
was nearly swamped. They themselves were soaked to 
the skin, their drinking water was aU spoiled, and, worst 
of aU, their gunpowder was wet and useless. 

So they rowed to shore, meaning to land and dry their 
things, and look for fresh water. As they landed, several 
natives gathered round them. Bass and Fluiders hardly 
knew what to do. The natives about were said to be 
very fierce, if not cannibals. There were about fifty of 
them, armed with spears and boomerangs, against two 
white men and a boy, who had no weapons, for their guns 
were rusty and full of sand, and their gunpowder wet. 

A boomerang is a native Australian weapon made of 
hard wood. It is made in peculiar shape, and the black 
feUows throw it in such a wonderful way that it hits the 
object it is aimed at, and returns to the hand of the 
thrower. 

Although very uncertain what would happen to them, 
Bass and Flinders put a bold face on matters. They 
spread out their gunpowder to dry on the rocks while the 
natives looked on. They next began to clean their guns, 
but at this the black fellows became so angry and afraid 
that they were obliged to stop. 



138 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

As neither could understand the other's language, talk- 
ing was rather difficult. But the white men made the 
savages understand that they wanted water, and they 
were shown a stream not far off where they fiUed their 
cask. They would now have been glad to get away, but 
their gunpowder was not dry. 

Then Flinders thought of something to keep the 
savages interested. A few days before he had cut the hair 
and trimmed the beard of a savage, much to his delight. 
So now he produced a large pair of scissors and persuaded 
some of those round to let him play barber. 

Flinders did not make a very good barber, but that 
did not matter as the savages were easily pleased. They 
were very proud of themselves when the cutting and 
snipping was done, but some of them were very much 
afraid as the large scissors were flourished so near their 
noses. Their eyes stared in wild fear, yet all the time 
they tried to smile as if they liked it, and they looked so 
funny that Flinders was almost tempted to give a little 
snip to their ears just to see what would happen. But the 
situation was too dangerous for such tricks. 

At last the powder was dry. Everything was gathered 
and put into the boat, and the three got safely away, well 
pleased to have escaped while the savages were still in 
good humour. 

A few nights after this they were nearly wrecked. 
They had anchored for the night when a terrible storm 
arose. The waves dashed high over their tiny boat, there 
were cliffs on one hand, reefs on the other. They hauled 
up their anchor as quickly as they could and ran before 
the gale. Bass managed the sail, Flinders steered with an 
oar, and the boy bailed. * A single wrong movement, a 
moment's inattention, would have sent us to the bottom,' 
says Flinders. 



GEORGE BASS AND MATTHEW FLINDERS 139 

It was an anxious time, and the darkness of the night 
added to their danger. But suddenly, when things were 
so bad that they thought they had not ten minutes more 
to live, the boat got through the breakers, and in three 
minutes the adventurers found themselves in the calm 
waters of a little cove. In thankfulness for their escape 
they called it Providential Cove. A few days later, 
having explored thirty or forty miles of coast, they reached 
Sydney in safety. 

It was not long before Bass set out exploring again. 
This time Flinders could not go, as he had to attend to 
his duties on board ship. Alone Bass discovered more of 
the coast, but the greatest thing that he did was to make 
sure that Tasmania was not joined to Australia, but was 
a separate island. And the strait between Tasmania and 
Australia is caUed Bass Strait after him. 

It would take too long to tell of all that Bass and 
Flinders did, and of all the adventures they had. After 
a little, Bass sailed away to South America on a trading 
expedition, and was never heard of more. It is thought 
that he was captured by the Spaniards, and made to work 
as a slave in the silver mines. If that is so, it was a 
terrible end for this brave sailor who loved the free life 
upon the ocean waves. It is pitiful to think that he, who 
had felt the sting of the salt spray upon his cheek, and 
the taste of it upon his lips, had henceforth to toil in a 
dark, close mine, a broken-hearted captive. 

Even after his friend had gone, Flinders did a great 
deal of exploring. He sailed all round the coasts of 
Austraha in a rotten, little boat called the Investigator. 
*A more deplorable, crazy vessel than the Investigator 
is perhaps not to be seen,' said the captain who later, with 
great difficulty, brought her home to England. When 
Flinders reached Sydney he found that some of the 



140 OUR EMPIKE STORY 

planking was so soft that a stick could be poked through 
it. It was in such ships that those brave sailors dared the 
stormy seas I But Flinders was anxious to reach home, 
for he had made many maps of the coast, and had filled 
many note-books, and he wanted to have them pubUshed. 
So he left the Investigator, and sailed home as a passenger 
in another ship. 

They had not gone far, however, when one dark and 
stormy night they were wrecked upon a coral reef. All 
night the storm raged, the winds blew, and the waves 
dashed over the wretched, weary men. But when morn- 
ing came they saw a sandbank near, and upon this they 
managed to land, only three men being lost in the storm. 

Luckily they were able to save most of the food and 
water out of the wrecked vessel, and were soon settled on 
their sandbank. They made tents of sails and spars, 
planted a flagstaff, and ran up a blue ensign with the 
Union Jack upside down as a signal of distress. And so 
they prepared to wait until some passing ship should find 
them and take them off. But it was by no means a likely 
place for ships to pass, and after a few days Flinders 
decided to take one of the ship's boats which had been 
saved from the wreck, and sail back to Sydney to bring 
help. 

They named the Httle boat the Hope, and one fine 
morning Flinders, with thirteen other men, set sail. As 
they launched out they were followed by the cheers and 
good wishes of their shipwrecked comrades, and one of 
them, having asked leave of the captain, ran to the flag- 
staff, tore down the flag, and ran it up again with the 
Union Jack uppermost. This he did to show how sure 
they were that the voyage would be a success, and that 
Flinders would bring help. 

So it was with cheerful hearts that Flinders and his 



GEORGE BASS AND MATTHEW FLINDERS 141 

brave followers began their long journey of two hundred 
and fifty leagues in an open boat. And like heroes they 
bore every hardship which came upon them. The weather 
became rainy and cold, and they were often drenched to 
the skin and had no means of drying or warming them- 
selves. Tossed about on the huge, hollow waves like a 
cockle shell, in danger from sharks and whales, they yet 
escaped every peril, and after ten days of hardship and 
toil they arrived safely at Sydney. 

Flinders at once went to Government House. Captain 
King was by this time governor, and he was a good 
friend to Flinders, who now found him sitting at dinner. 
The governor stared in astonishment at the wild, unshorn, 
ragged man with lean, brown face and bright eyes, who 
walked into the room. It was some minutes before he 
knew him to be his friend Matthew Flinders, who he 
thought was many hundreds of miles on his way to 
England. But when he reahsed who it was, and listened 
to the tale of disaster, his eyes filled with tears. 

At once the governor agreed to send help to the ship- 
wrecked men, but it was some days before ships could be 
got ready, and every day seemed to Flinders a week. He 
was so afraid that if he did not get back quickly the men 
on the sandbank would grow tired of waiting, give up hope, 
and try to save themselves in an open boat, and so perhaps 
all be drowned before help came. 

But at length everything was ready. Three ships set 
sail and safely reached the narrow, sea-swept sandbank, 
and all the shipwrecked men were rescued. 

Flinders then went on his way to England vidth his 
precious maps and plans, a few only of which had been 
lost in the wreck. But the ship in which he went was so 
small and so leaky that it could not carry enough food 
and water for so long a voyage. Flinders was therefore 



142 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

obliged to stop at every port he came to for fresh sup- 
plies. The French and British were again at war, and at 
Mauritius, which then belonged to France, he was taken 
prisoner, in spite of the fact that he had a passport from 
Napoleon. 

Flinders was treated as a spy, and all his journals and 
maps were taken from him. And now his fate was little 
better than that of his friend Bass. For seven long years 
he was kept a prisoner, eating his heart out with desire 
for freedom. At last he was set free, and after some 
more adventures he reached home. 

But his troubles were not at an end. He now dis- 
covered that a French sailor had stolen his maps and 
journal, and that he had published them in France as his 
own, having changed all the names which Flinders had 
given the places into French names. The name AustraUs, 
which Flinders had been among the first to use, he had 
changed to Terre de Napoleon — that is, land of Napoleon. 
And for many a long day Australia was marked in French 
atlases as Terre de Napoleon. 

It was a bitter blow. But broken in health and worn 
with long hardships and imprisonments though he was. 
Flinders was not yet beaten. He gave up the rest of his 
life to writing an account of his travels, which he called 
A Voyage to Terra AustraUs. But, sad to say, upon 
the very day that it was pubhshed, he died. To the end 
he was a sailor and adventurer. Almost his last words 
were, ' I know that in future days of exploration my 
spirit will rise from the dead and follow the exploring 
ships.' 

It was by such men of daring, by such deeds of 
valour and of long endurance, that the outlines of Australia 
were traced upon our maps. 



CHAPTER IV 

A LITTLE REVOLUTION 

It was in 1800 that Captain John Hunter was recalled 
and Captain King took his place. The new governor 
set himself at once to stop the trade in rum, wliich was 
bringing ruin on the Colony. Men sold everything to 
get it. They bartered away their sheep and cattle and 
even their growing corn, until they who had been pros- 
perous farmers became ruined beggars. But in putting 
down the trade in rum King brought upon himself the 
hatred of the soldiers who made a great deal of money 
out of it, and who were very angry to see their gains 
thus disappear. He had to crush rebellions among the 
convicts too. The work was not easy, but King was firm, 
and soon he brought some kind of order out of wild 
confusion. And although, as he said, he * could not make 
pickpockets into good farmers,' he forced them to be less 
drunken and made them try to work, and so by good 
behaviour earn freedom. 

It was during the time of Governor King's rule that 
the island of Tasmania was first colonised. For sixteen 
years, in all the wide island-continent, it was only in the 
few miles round Sydney that the white man had planted 
his foot and built his home. But French ships were now 
seen cruising about, and the British began to fear that 
the French meant to found a colony in Tasmania, which, 



144 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

since the discoveries of Bass, they knew was not joined 
to Australia, but was a separate island. 

So to be beforehand with the French, King sent a 
lieutenant with a few soldiers, convicts, and freemen, to 
found a colony there. They landed and began to build a 
Uttle town, which they called Hobart Town, in honour of 
Lord Hobart, who was then Secretary of State for the 
Colonies. 

The new colony had its troubles and trials just as 
Sydney had had, but it conquered them all and began to 
prosper. 

About this time, too, an attempt was made to found a 
town near where Melbourne now stands. But these first 
colonists did not think it a good place for a town. So 
they left their half-built houses there and went across to 
Tasmania, and settled down about fifteen miles from 
Hobart. Thus a beginning was made, and by degrees 
other towns were founded, and the lonely spaces of 
Australia began to be peopled by white men. 

In 1806 Captain BHgh succeeded Captain King as 
governor. He was a stern, hard man with a fearful 
temper. He was known as ' Bounty BHgh,' because 
when he had been captain of the Bounty his men had 
mutinied and cast him adrift, with eighteen others, in an 
open boat in the Pacific Ocean. But however stern and 
cruel BHgh might be, he was a clever seaman. Now, in 
this terrible pHght, he showed it. With wonderful skill 
he steered his boat and ruled his men, and after a voyage 
of almost four thousand miles they reached land safely. 
This journey of his is one of the wonderful things of the 
story of the sea. 

But although BHgh was a good seaman he was not 
a good governor. He soon made himself hated by 
nearly every one in the colony. He quarreUed, too, with 



A LITTLE REVOLUTION U5 

Mr. MacArthur who, you remember, had brought 
wool-bearing sheep to the colony and who was now, 
after the governor, perhaps the chief man in aU 
Australia. 

Soon after Bligh arrived MacArthur went to him to 
talk about his farm and his hopes that sheep and wool 
would bring wealth to the colony. But Bligh flew into 
a temper at once. * What have I to do with your sheep 
and cattle ? ' he cried. * You have such flocks and herds 
as no man ever had before. You have ten thousand 
acres of the best land in the country. But, by heaven, 
you shaU not keep it ! ' 

Instead of help and sympathy, MacArthur only got 
angry words. So a quarrel was begun which as the 
months went on grew worse and worse. The fault was 
not all on one side, and these two strong and powerful 
men did not try to understand each other. At last Bligh 
put MacArthur into prison for refusing to pay a fine 
which he considered unjust. He threatened to put six 
officers of the *Rum Corps' in prison too, as they 
encouraged MacArthur. 

At this, the barracks was in an uproar. Both men and 
officers declared that the governor was trampling on their 
liberty and rights, and that instead of keeping law and 
order he was upsetting both. They resolved not to suffer 
it and they rebelled. 

So about half-past six one midsummer evening, which 
in Australia, you must remember, is in January, they 
gathered at the barracks. Then with fixed bayonets, 
drums beating, and colours flying, they marched to 
Government House, followed by a crowd of people all 
eager to see the downfaU of the governor. 

At the gate the governor's daughter tried to stop the 
soldiers. But she was told to stand aside, and the men 



146 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

marched unhindered into the house, for the very sentries 
had joined the rebels. 

* I am called upon to do a most painful duty,' said 
Major Johnston. * You are charged by the respectable 
inhabitants of crimes that make you unfit to rule another 
moment in the colony. I hereby place you under arrest 
by the advice of all my officers, and by the advice of 
every respectable inhabitant of Sydney.' 

Thus Bligh was taken prisoner and his rule was at an 
end. No one was sorry, for he had no friends. For 
some weeks he was kept prisoner, then promising that he 
would go direct to England, he was allowed to go on 
board a waiting vessel. But he broke his word and went 
to Tasmania instead. There he tried to make the 
colonists receive him back as governor. But although at 
first they treated him with all due honour, they soon grew 
tired of him. Bhgh was then forced to leave Tasmania 
as he had left Australia, and for some time he cruised 
about in his ship. 

Meanwhile Major Johnston ruled New South Wales. 
But after a time the news of the revolt reached England. 
A new governor. Colonel Macquarie, was at once sent 
out with a Highland regiment to restore order. Mac- 
quarie was told to make Captain Bhgh governor again for 
twenty-four hours, just to show the mutineers that they 
could not do as they hked. Then he was to become 
governor himself and send home the whole of the New 
South Wales Corps, and every one who had had a part in 
the revolt, to answer for their misdeeds. 

This was done ; and the Rum Corps, which for years 
had been the greatest power and at times the greatest 
terror in the colony, went home for good and all. But 
no very heavy punishment was given to the mutineers. 
Major Johnston was expelled from the army, but he 



A LITTLE REVOLUTION 147 

returned to Australia and became one of its most im- 
portant settlers. MacArthur was forbidden to return for 
eight years, as he had been the chief cause of all the dis- 
turbance. But at the end of that time he did return, and 
his name is remembered as one of those who did most for 
Austraha in the early days. 

As for Bligh, he was made an admiral ; and that, he 
no doubt felt, made up for all that he had gone through. 



CHAPTER V 

THE FIRST TRAVELLER IN QUEENSLAND 

One day in February 1846 a ship sailed out from Sydney 
on its way to China. It was a cargo boat, but, as was 
common in those days, it carried a few passengers too, 
and with the captain went his wife. A fair wind blew, 
and all hoped for a quick and pleasant passage. 

But as the ship sailed on its way the wind became 
ever stronger and fiercer, until, when a week from home, 
a terrible storm was brewing, and the ship with bare 
masts was scudding before the blast. 

At last the storm calmed and the danger seemed over. 
But the ship had been driven far out of its course, and a 
careful watch was kept lest it should run upon some un- 
known rock or reef 

For a few days all went well, then suddenly one night 
the watchman saw something loom ahead of the ship, 
whether land or dark cloud he could not tell. Before 
anything could be done there was a fearful shock, the 
ship shivered from stem to stem, and then lay stiU. 

Every one except the watchmen was in bed. The 
shock made them spring from their beds and rush in 
terror to the deck. All was black darkness. There was 
nothing to be seen around but the night and the cruel 
white-crested waves. In the darkness nothing could be 
done, and so in shivering misery, the waves lashing over 
the ship, men waited for the dawn. 



FIRST TRAVELLER IN QUEENSLAND 149 

The night seemed long, but at last a cold, grey light 
crept into the sky. Then it was seen that all around the 
ship sharp points of rock showed above the water. Upon 
one of these the ship had struck. But nowhere was there 
the faintest sign of land. 

As soon as it was light enough, the captain ordered 
the boats to be lowered. But almost as soon as they 
reached the water, they were dashed to pieces and swept 
away by the savage waves. 

All hope was gone, and the shipwrecked people gave 
themselves up to despair. But the captain was a man 
who did not easily give way. He ordered all hands into 
the cabin, and when they were gathered he bade them 
pray. And so there knelt together, three pale-faced 
women and their frightened children, with a handful of 
brave, rough men who well knew that they had sailed 
their last voyage upon this earth. 

But the captain's calm voice and earnest prayer put 
new courage into the men. They rose from then- knees 
and set to work to make a raft strong enough to live in 
that wild sea. Long they toiled, cutting and sawing, 
hammering and lashmg spars and planks together. All 
the time they worked at the risk of their Uves, for every 
wave swept the decks. 

At last the raft was ready, and with great difficulty 
launched. What food there was, was placed upon it 
But, alas, it was very little, for most of the provisions had 
been washed overboard or spoiled by the salt water. One 
cask of water, a httle brandy, and nme tins of preserved 
meat, these were all that could be found. And with this 
little store the poor wrecked men set sail upon the cruel 
waste of waters. 

Including women and children, there were twenty- 
one people upon the raft. They knew their food would 



150 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

not last long. They had all heard terrible tales of ship- 
wrecked people, who, when they were starving, had 
become cannibal and had eaten each other. So now, face 
to face with death, they each promised solemnly to keep 
from anything so horrible, whatever tortures they might 
suffer. 

At first things were just endurable. Three table- 
spoonfuls of meat a day were served out to each person, 
and four little drinks of water carefully measured. To 
help to eke out their stores they caught the sea-birds 
which now and again alighted upon the raft. These they 
had to eat raw, but they were looked upon as great 
dainties. 

Three weeks passed. Both food and water were 
nearly done, when a sail came in sight. Eagerly the 
weak, worn crew waved and signed. The ship was too 
far away and the sailors did not see them. Hour after 
hour they watched and beckoned, but the sail grew 
smaller and smaller, and at last it vanished altogether in 
the dim distance, and the httle raft was left once more 
alone on the empty sea. 

The portion of meat, the measure of water, grew less 
and less day by day, untU at last one morning there was 
no more meat, and no more water left. Still there was 
no sign of land, still there was nothing all around but the 
cruel, vacant sea. 

* I shall die now,' said one man wearily. And die he 
did. 

Remembering their promise the others quickly threw 
the body overboard. They feared that the terrible pangs 
of hunger which had come upon them might make them 
forget. 

But now, when there seemed nothing but an awful death 
before them, the poor castaways caught a fish for the first 



FIRST TRAVELLER IN QUEENSLAND 151 

time. Each day after this they caught some fish. Then 
rain came and eased their terrible, burning thirst. But 
day by day, unable to endure longer, some of the com- 
pany died. The children, two of the women, and many 
of the men each followed one after another. 

At length, after six weeks of fearful suffering, land 
came in sight. Although they did not know it, the cast- 
aways had reached the shores of Queensland. They only 
guessed that they were somewhere on the coast of 
Australia. 

Now when at last the raft reached the land, there were 
only seven left of aU who had set out from the ship. 
These were the captain, his wife, and five men. They 
were little more than skeletons, and when they were once 
more on dry land, they lay down upon the beach and 
slept from sheer weakness and weariness. 

Next morning the captain managed to make a fire, at 
which they cooked some shark which they had caught. 
It was the first cooked meat they had eaten for more than 
six weeks. Then they crawled about and found some 
oysters. But they were aU so sick and faint with hunger 
and exposure, that they could with difficulty drag them- 
selves about even m search of food. 

Now again a sail was seen. With all the strength 
they had left, they tried to signal to it. But their 
efforts were in vain.> Sitting on the rocks, with despair 
in their hearts, they watched the ship slowly sail out of 
sight. 

Three more of the party died, and there were only four 
left when, to add to the terrors of the fight with death, a 
party of black feUows came upon them. They proved, 
however, in their own way, friendly. They took, it is 
true, everything the shipwrecked men had left, even to 
their clothes, lea^dng them almost naked. But they 



152 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

brought them roots to eat, and signed to them to join in 
their wild dance called a corrobboree. 

This, of course, the white men could not do, and as 
the black fellows did not seem very pleased at their re- 
fusal, one of the sailors offered to sing. 

This greatly deUghted the savages who sat round 
grimacing, while the four wretched white people stood 
together and sang, 

God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform ; 
He plants His footsteps in the sea, 
And rides upon the storm. 

Thus were the white people received into the tribe. 
For two years they Hved with the savages in great misery. 
They had now enough to eat, it is true, but they had to 
Hve as savages. At the end of three years all had died 
except one man called Murrell. He seemed better able 
to bear the hardships, and for seventeen years he Hved 
among the black fellows, talking their language and Hving 
their life, until he forgot his own tongue and even his 
own name. 

But at last, after many weary years, ships began to 
come, and white men, it was told Murrell, had built a 
hut not far off. 

When he heard this news, Murrell decided to try to 
escape from his fearful life. So one day he set off to find 
the white man's hut. Having lived so many years under 
the burning sun of Queensland, wearing no clothes, he 
was very brown and very dirty too. But now when 
thoughts of his old life had awakened in him, he went to 
a pool and washed himself as white as he could. 

Round the white man's hut there was a fence, and 
when Murrell reached it dogs ran out barking and 



FIRST TRAVELLER IN QUEENSLAND 153 

snapping at him. So, to keep them from biting him, he 
climbed upon the fence and called out as loud as he could. 

Three men lived in the hut, and at the sound of 
Murrell's call, one of them came out. He stared at this 
strange being in wonder. Then, ' Bill,' he cried, ' here 's 
a naked, yellow man standing on the fence. He isn't a 
black man. Bring the gun.' 

* Don't shoot I ' cried MurreU, in terror. ' I 'm a ship- 
wrecked sailor, a British object.' 

He reaUy meant to say * subject,' but it was so long 
since he had spoken EngHsh, and he was so frightened 
and excited, that he hardly knew what he was saying. 

When the men heard him speak Enghsh they put 
down their gun, and brought him into the hut, hstening 
in astonishment to his story. They gave him some 
breakfast, but MurreU found that he no longer Hked tea ; 
and bread, which he had not eaten for seventeen years, 
now seemed to choke him. 

MurreU was, however, very glad to get back to 
civihsation once more, but he returned to his black 
friends to say good-bye to them. And when they under- 
stood that he was going to leave them for always they 
were fiUed with grief and cried bitterly. MurreU, too, 
when he thought of all the rough kindness they had 
shown to him these many years, was sorry to say good- 
bye. But the sight of white men, and the sound of his 
own language, had awakened all his old longing for home, 
and he left his black friends. 

He was taken to Brisbane and made much of. He 
became a storekeeper, married, and settled down to a 
quiet Ufe, but the terrible hardships he had passed through 
had left him weak and feeble, and he did not live long to 
enjoy his new found comforts. 

Such were the adventures of the first travellers in 



154 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Queensland. But things have changed. Were a traveller 
to land now where Murrell was shipwrecked, he would 
find pleasant homes and smiling pastures. And perhaps 
on the very spot where, seventy years ago, only the black 
man hunted, where Murrell wandered naked and miser- 
able, he might find a train waiting to take him back to 
Brisbane. 



CHAPTER VI 

THROUGH THE GREAT UNKNOWN 

Up to the time when Macquarie came to govern New 
South Wales nothing at all was known of Australia in- 
land. The Blue Mountains, beautiful and rugged, defied 
every attempt to cross them. Among others, gallant 
George Bass had tried. But he was less successful by- 
land than by sea and he discovered nothing. 

But now the colony was growing larger, and the 
settlers began to feel themselves cramped between the 
mountains and the sea. They had need of larger pastures 
to feed their sheep and grow their corn, so three young 
men determined to find out what lay behind the moun- 
tains. And, taking with them food enough to last six 
weeks, they set out. 

They had a hard task before them. They had to cut 
their way through woods where no white man at least 
had ever passed before. Across dark valleys, up and 
down steep cUfFs, now crawling along narrow ledges, now 
clambering up rocky heights, they reached at last the 
western side of the hills. There they saw the land open 
out in rolling, fertile plains, and knew that they had 
found what meant new life and wealth to the colony. 

' The dauntless three ! for twenty days and nights 
These heroes battled with the haughty heights ; 
For twenty spaces of the star and sun 
These Romans kept their harness buckled on ; 

155 



156 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

By gaping gorges^ and by cliffs austere. 
These fathers struggled in the great old year ; 
Their feet they set on strange hills scarred by fire ; 
Their strong arms forced a path through brake and briar ; 
They fought with nature till they reached the throne 
Where morning glittered on the great UNKNOWN. 
There, in the time of praise and prayer supreme. 
Paused Blaxland, Lawson, Wentworth, in a dream ; 
There, where the silver arrows of the day 
Smote upon slope and spire, they halted on their way. 
Behind them were the conquered hills — they faced 
The vast green West, with glad, strange beauty graced ; 
And every tone of every cave and tree 
Was as a voice of splendid prophecy.' 



Returning home, the three told the governor of their 
discovery, and he, after making sure that what they said 
was true, set convicts to work to make a broad road 
across the hills. It took two years to make. Many a 
valley had to be bridged over, the solid rock had to be 
blown up. But at last the great work was finished. 
Then the colonists led their flocks and herds along the 
road to the grassy plains beyond, which were soon dotted 
with homesteads, and the town of Bathurst was founded. 

After this many travellers set out, eager to fill the 
great blank of the map of Australia, and it would take 
many books to tell of all their adventures. With patient 
courage and wonderful endurance they found, and marked, 
and named tract after tract of the vast island, each 
man stealing his little corner from the Unknown and 
adding it to the Known. To the great work these 
pioneers gave their health and money and all that they 
had. Some of them even gave their lives, and lie lost 
for ever in the great, silent land, no man knowing to this 
day where their bones rest. Australia has no battlefields. 
Its peaceful soil has never been soaked in the blood of 



THROUGH THE GREAT UNKNOWN 157 

thousands, its blue skies have never been darkened with 
the smoke of war. No heroes have fallen to the sound of 
trumpet and of drum fighting for King and Country. 
But the men who fought with nature, who suffered hunger 
and thirst, and all the woes of the desert, who day by 
day, and hour by hour, showed the courage of endurance, 
are as well worth remembering as those who, in one quick 
moment of fervour, thought life well lost for the sake of 
some great cause. And the names of Hamilton, Hume, 
Sturt, Eyre, Leichardt, Mitchell, Kennedy and many 
others stand out in the story of Australia as men who 
were not afraid to suffer and to die. 

We cannot follow all these explorers, you must read 
their stories elsewhere. But I will tell the story of two, 
not because they were the greatest or did most, but 
because they are among the best known, and because 
they were the first to cross the island-continent from 
south to north all the way from sea to sea. For when 
the island had once been crossed from shore to shore 
there was an end to the wonderful stories that had grown 
up about the marvels to be found in the middle of it. 
Some said that there was to be found a great and fertile 
land, where white people hved in the wealth and luxury 
of a sort of fairyland ; some again said there were great 
inland seas, boiling rivers, and mountains of fire to be 
found there. But when the land had been crossed, these 
stories were at an end, although there was then, and is 
still, much to be learned. 

By the year 1860 the fringes of Australia had been 
peopled, and although httle was known of the interior, 
the land was divided into five colonies, broken off from 
the mother colony of New South Wales. Each of these 
colonies had a capital and a governor of its own. Victoria 
had its capital, Melbourne ; South Australia its capital, 



158 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Adelaide ; Western Australia its capital, Perth ; Queens- 
land its capital, Brisbane. 

Now the Colony of Victoria decided to send out an 
expedition to cross the continent. As its leader, an 
Irishman named O'Hara Burke was chosen. No expense 
was spared to make the expedition a success. Camels were 
brought on purpose from India, for they, as is weU known, 
can go for a longer time without water than perhaps 
any other beast of burden. And one of the worst dangers 
and difficulties in Austrahan exploration was the want of 
water. It is to-day the greatest drawback to AustraHa. 

The expedition set off fi-om Melbourne in high spirits. 
Crowds of people turned out to see it start. The mayor 
made a speech, Bnrke made another, and amid a storm of 
good wishes and cheering the long procession of men, 
laden camels, and horses wound out of sight. 

But the expedition which had begun so brightly was 
soon overshadowed. The leader of the camels quarrelled 
^vith Burke, and went back to Melbourne saying that no 
good would ever come of the expedition under such a 
leader. And mdeed, brave though he was, Burke was 
not a good commander. 

A man named WiUs was now made second in 
command, and the expedition continued its way. 

When Menuidie on the Darhng river was reached, it 
was found that some of the men and camels were akeady 
knocked up and unable to travel fast. But instead of 
waiting here to rest for a short time, or going on slowly, 
Burke, who was hot-headed and eager, divided his party 
into two. Leaving one half under a man named Wright 
to come on slowly, he pushed on quickly with Wills and 
six other men to Cooper's Creek. It is not easy to see 
what Burke hoped to gain by this, for at Cooper's Creek 
he arranged to wait for the others. 



THROUGH THE GREAT UNKNOWN 159 

Here there was plenty of grass and water, and while 
waiting for Wright and his party to arrive, Burke and 
Wills made many short expeditions, exploring the 
country round. They found stony deserts and waterless 
tracts, and nothing very encouraging. 

In this way a month went past. Then Burke, im- 
patient at the slowness of Wright, decided to again 
divide his party. Leaving four men under a leader 
named Brahe to await Wright, he, with Wills and two 
others, again set out northward. The men left behind 
were told to wait three months, and if Burke and Wills 
did not return they might then give them up as lost and 
go home. 

Having made all their arrangements, the little party 
set out. On and on, day after day, they trudged. Some- 
times they met with bands of natives who, however, were 
friendly enough. Sometimes the way lay through stony 
desert, sometimes through fertile plains, or swamps and 
thick forest. At last they reached the seashore. But a 
forest of trees and a thick undergrowth of bushes lay 
between them and the sea, and although Burke and 
Wills made gallant efforts to struggle through it, they 
were obliged to turn back without having really seen the 
water or having stood upon the northern shore. 

It was now two months since they had left Cooper's 
Creek. They were weary and worn. Their food was 
nearly at an end. And so they made haste to return, lest 
the men left at Cooper's Creek should, as they had been 
told, go home believing their leader to be lost in the 
wilds. 

The way northward had seemed hard and long, the 
way back seemed yet harder. Soon there was nothing left 
to eat. One camel after another had to be killed for food. 
The men fell ill, and worn out with hardships, one died. 



160 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

The three remaining gaunt, lean skeletons struggled 
on. At last they, with two skinny camels, arrived at 
Cooper's Creek. 

There was no one there. 

Upon a tree was a note telling the wretched, weary 
travellers that the others had left that very morning, and 
that Wright, who had been left behind at the Darling, 
had never arrived at all. 

It was heart-breaking. Sick and hopeless were the 
men who that night lay down to sleep in the deserted 
camp. Burke had mismanaged the expedition badly. 
Perhaps he knew it, and that made the hardships no 
easier to bear. 

Fortunately Brahe and his party had left some food 
behind them. They had marked a tree with the word 
* Dig,' and here the travellers found the buried stores. 

Now that they had food enough, Wills and the other 
man, who was called King, proposed that they should 
rest for a few days until they had regained some strength. 
But Burke with his impatient spirit would not listen. 
He proposed to start off again and try to reach home by 
going through South Australia instead of back as they 
had come. He wanted to go by way of Mount Hope- 
less, which had been reached by another explorer some 
years before. 

There was now a sheep farm there, and Burke 
thought it could not be more than one hundred and fifty 
miles off. 

It seems to us, reading of it long after, a mad and 
foolish idea. And so it seemed to Wills and King. But 
they gave way to their leader and the journey began. 
It was a dismal failure. They lost their way and, at last 
worn out and once more starving, were obliged to go 
back. On this return journey Burke and King became 



THROUGH THE GREAT UNKNOWN 161 

so weak that they could go no farther, and alone, Wills 
returned to Cooper's Creek to bring food to his dying 
comrades. 

Meanwhile, had they only known it, help had been 
very near. For Brahe, having at last met with Wright, 
had returned to Cooper's Creek. But finding no one 
there, and beheving that no one had been there in their 
absence, they all started homeward with the news that 
the others had perished. 

The news was true enough. But it need not have 
been true if only things had been better managed. 

Now, of the three left alone in the wilderness. Wills 
was the first to die. A few days later Burke followed him, 
and King alone was left. He kept himself from utterly 
starving by eating the seeds of a plant called Nardoo. 
Then he fell in with some friendly blacks who had already 
helped the forlorn party. With them he stayed until he 
was found and rescued, for he was not left to die unaided. 
When Wright and Brahe reached home with their sad 
news, search parties were at once sent out to find the 
bodies at least of the brave, misguided men. So King 
was found. But he was pale and thin, more like a 
skeleton than a living man, and so weak that he could 
scarcely speak. But after a few days of care and 
nursing he grew much better, and was able to tell the 
sorry story of all his pains and hardships. 

The dead bodies of Burke and Wills were found 
where they had died, and were buried m the wilds. 
But afterwards they were brought to Melbourne, where 
they were buried with great ceremony and a monument 
in their memory was raised. 

King received a pension, and the relatives of Burke 
and Wills were cared for. It is pleasant, too, to know that 
the kindly blacks were rewarded, although it was only with 

L 



162 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

beads and ribbons, looking-glasses and sugar. To them such 
things seemed very precious, and they were well pleased. 

' Set your face toward the darkness — tell of deserts weird and wide, 
Where unshaken woods are huddled^ and low languid waters glide ; 
Turn and tell of deserts lonely, lying pathless deep and vast ; 
Where in utter silence ever Time seems slowly breathing past — 
Silence only broken when the sun is flecked with cloudy bars. 
Or when tropic squalls come hurtling underneath the sultry stars ! 
Deserts, thorny, hot and thirsty, where the feet of man are strange, 
And eternal Nature sleeps in solitudes which know no change. 

Weakened with their lengthened labours, past longplains of stone and sand, 
Down those trackless wilds they wandered, travellers from a far-off land, 
Seeking now to join their brothers, struggling on with faltering feet. 
For a glorious work was finished, and a noble task complete ; 
And they dreamt of welcome faces — dreamt that soon unto their ears 
Friendly greeting would be thronging, with a nation's well-earned cheers ; 
Since their courage never failed them, but with high, unflinching soul 
Each was pressing forward, hoping, trusting all should reach the goal. 

Ye must rise and sing their praises, O ye bards with souls of fire, 
For the people's voice shall echo through the wailings of your lyre ; 
And we'll welcome back their comrade, though oureyes with tears be blind 
At the thoughts of promise perished, and the shadow left behind ; 
Now the leaves are bleaching round them — now the gales above them 

glide. 
But the end was all accomplished, and their fame was far and wide. 
Though this fadeless glory cannot hide a nation's grief. 
And their laurels have been blended with a gloomy cypress wreath. 

Let them rest where they have laboured ! but, my country, mourn and 

moan ; 
We must build with human sorrow grander monuments than stone, . 
Let them rest, for oh ! remember, that in long hereafter time 
Sons of Science oft shall wander o'er that solitary clime ! 
Cities bright shall rise about it. Age and Beauty there shall stray, 
And the fathers of the people, pointing to the graves, shall say : 
Here they fell, the glorious martyrs ! when these plains were woodlands 

deep ; 
Here a friend, a brother, laid them ; here the wild man came to weep.' 

H. C. Kendall. 



CHAPTER VII 

'THE TRACTS OF THIRST AND FURNACE' 

As years went on and Australia grew, great farms 
stretched out from the towns into the wilds. Many a 
farmer owned a sheep- or cattle-run as big as an English 
county, and the yellowing cornfields reached for miles 
waving and beautiful in the sunshine. 

The soil of Australia is in many places so fertile and 
the climate so good that farming is easy. But the farmers 
have one great trouble. That is the want of a good water 
supply. In Australia there are no high mountains to 
catch the rain clouds. There are no big inland lakes or 
rivers, and a curious thing about the Australian rivers is 
that many of them instead of flowing to the sea flow 
inland. When a drought comes, some of these rivers dis- 
appear altogether, and sometimes a drought will last for 
months or even years. 

The years 1839-1840 were years of terrible drought. 
The grass became browner and browner, and at last it was 
burnt up altogether and only the dry, sandy earth re- 
mamed. The leaves withered on the trees and shrivelled 
up. There was no coolness anywhere. The wind was 
hot like the blast of a furnace, and, as it swept through 
the forests, the leaves hissed and crackled against each 
other instead of whispering gently with a cool, soft sound. 
No green thing was to be seen, the still air quivered with 
heat, and the silent birds fell dead from the branches. 

163 



164 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

The cattle, daily growing thinner and thinner, wandered 
farther and farther over the plains in search of food and 
water. As the water pools dried up, the weaker animals 
sank into the mud and sand left on the edge, and having 
no strength to struggle out again died there. And there 
they lay, their dead bodies poisoning the air untU the 
plain was strewn with bleaching bones. 

Corn, too, ceased to grow, and flour was sold at £100 
a ton. Starvation and ruin stared many a farmer in the 
face. At first they tried to drive their cattle to Sydney 
to sell them to the butchers there. But as every one 
wanted to sell, there were not enough people to buy, and 
the cattle before they reached Sydney were often little 
more than skin and bone. 

It was then that a Mr. O'Brien thought of a plan by 
which something might be saved. He had heard that in 
Russia, when farmers had too many cattle, they killed 
them for their fat, for though the butchers in a town 
could only buy a certain amount of meat, a market foi 
taUow could always be found, for it could be sent to 
distant lands. So now factories and places for boiling 
down sheep and cattle were built both in Sydney and in 
the country, and to the farmers' great delight they found 
that they could make a little out of their starving cattle. 
Valuable cattle were killed merely for their skin and tallow, 
but it was better to make even a few pounds than nothing 
at all, and the poor beasts were put out of misery. The 
meat of course was wasted, but some of it was used as 
manure for the land. And sometimes a butcher would 
buy a hundred or two legs of mutton at Id. each, and 
make a good profit oiit of them by selling them to his 
customers for so much a pound. Thus many of the 
colonists were saved from utter ruin, and able to live until 
the rain came again. 



•THE TRACTS OF THIRST AND FURNACE' 165 

When at last the rain did come in a few weeks, the 
earth was, as if by magic, covered with green once more. 
Then the cattle, which had wandered in helpless pain, 
dull-eyed, pitiful skeletons, again became sleek and lively. 
But in places the rain came with such sudden fury that 
the river-beds could not contain it, and great floods were 
the consequence. Then perhaps what a farmer had saved 
from the drought would be torn from him by the flood. 

About ten years later another drought withered the 
land. Rivers and water-pools disappeared, the earth 
became a sun-baked desert of clay, where great cracks 
yawned, and where the cattle wandered ' with the terror 
of thirst in their eyes). As the summer went on, the air 
grew hotter and hotter, the sky a brazen bowl. Then in 
February came a day which in Victoria is remembered as 
Black Thursday. From the north a hot wind blew with 
the breath of a furnace. The sky grew dark, and out in 
the Bass Straits weather-wise sailors furled their sails, and 
made ready to meet a fearful storm. 

Hour by hour the wind gathered strength and speed, 
till by midday it tore shrieking through the bare, 
scorched trees, howling over the plains, where the bones 
of hundreds of cattle lay bleaching. Then to the howl 
and shriek of the wind was added the roar and crackle of 
fire. As if by magic the whole land was sheeted in flame. 
On it came hke some hungry demon, fierce tongues of 
fire licking the earth, pillars of smoke climbing the sky. 
The raging wind tore the lifeless leaves from the trees, 
the arid grass from the plain, and in a whirl of sparks 
swept them on to kindle into fresh flame wherever they 
feU. 

The fiery monster spared nothing. The great forest 
trees appeared for a few minutes pillared and arched in 
flame, then sank together in one huge bonfire. Farm- 



166 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

houses and gardens were swept away, and as the flames 
rolled on, man and beast fled before them vainly seeking 
shelter. Wherever water was to be found, there men fled. 
Standing in the water they waited, blinded and gasping 
in the smoke-laden air, till the column of fire had rolled 
past. Above the roar of the flames rose the scream and 
bellow of terrified animals, the thud and patter of a 
thousand hoofs, as horse and bullock, sheep and kangaroo, 
all the beasts of field or forest, birds and serpents, and 
every living thing, fled before the fiery sword of de- 
struction. Driven by a nameless terror, panting to escape 
from an awful death, they fled. 

All day long and far into the night the storm of fire 
lasted, and. when morning dawned, the land in its track 
lay a black ruin of desolation. 

Many men, women, and children, had died in the 
flames. Many more lost all that they possessed, and, 
penniless and disheartened, had to begin life over again, 
had again to build their homesteads and fence their runs, 
and find money to buy new tools and a fresh stock of 
cattle. It was never known how much was lost in this 
great fire, but those who lived in the country at the time 
never forgot the havoc it made, or the terrible devastation 
it left behind. But at length rain came again. Then in 
a far shorter time than we should believe possible, the 
land that had been a charred and smoking desert was 
once more green pasture and corn land, dotted with 
pleasant homesteads, and Black Thursday was no more 
than a memory. 



CHAPTER VIIT 

THE FINDING OF GOLD 

Near the town of Bathurst there Hved a farmer called 
Hargraves. He had suffered much from the droughts, 
and at last, tired of the struggle, he gave up his farm and 
sailed away to California. He went to try his luck at 
the goldfields which had lately been discovered there. 
But in California Hargraves was no more lucky than he 
had been in New South Wales. Although others around 
him made fortunes, he made none. However, as he dug, 
and shovelled, and toiled in vain, a strange thought struck 
him. The hills and valleys of California were very hke 
the hills and valleys of New South Wales, he said to 
himself. If there was gold to be found in the one, why 
not in the other ? 

When this idea had once taken hold of Hargraves he 
could not get rid of it. So at length he made up his mind 
to leave his useless toil and go back to Australia to find 
out if there was anything in his idea. 

He had now very little money left, but he managed 
to get back to Sydney. He arrived there penniless, and 
had to borrow money in order to hire a horse to take him 
to the Blue Mountains, for in those days there were no 
trains. 

At a lonely inn on the slopes of the mountains he put 
up his horse. There he found a boy who knew aU 
the creeks and streams about, and, with him as guide, 

167 



168 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Hargraves started out early one morning carrying a 
trowel and a little tin dish. 

Soon he came to what he thought was a likely place 
in which to find gold. Digging up a little of the greyish, 
sandy soil he went with it to the nearest stream. Here 
he dipped and dipped his tin in the water until all the 
sand was washed away. Then, there at the bottom, too 
heavy to be floated away by the water, lay a few small 
grains of dull, glowing gold. 

As time after time Hargraves filled his little tin pan, 
and saw the tmy grains of precious metal glow at the 
bottom, his breath came fast, his eyes sparkled, his cheeks 
glowed with triumph. He knew that he had found what 
he sought, and that fortunes for thousands lay hidden in 
the hills around him. 

Tired, but rejoicing, he went back to his inn and 
wrote down all that he had done, very sure that he had 
found out something great, not only for himself, but for 
all Austraha. 

For two months Hargraves remained among the lonely 
hills making quite certain of his discovery. Then he 
went back to Sydney and wrote a letter to the governor, 
saying that for £500 he would show him places in New 
South Wales where gold could be found. 

Many people had pretended to find gold before this. 
So now the governor was not very ready to beheve 
Hargraves. However, he said that if Hargraves would 
first point out the place, he would be rewarded afterwards. 

This Hargraves agreed to, and in a week there were 
a thousand people digging and washing for gold in that 
lonely creek, which, a month or two before, had echoed 
to the shouts of one man and a boy. 

The rush to the diggings was tremendous. Farmers 
left their farms, doctors their patients. Labourers, 



THE FINDING OF GOLD 169 

servants, clerks, workmen of all kinds, thieves and cut- 
throats, all swelled the stream which poured along the 
road over the Blue Mountains. It was hardly to be 
wondered at that people would no longer toil all day long 
for a few shillings, when, in the same time they might, by 
scratching the earth a little, win hundreds of pounds. So 
business came to a standstill, grass grew in the streets, 
corn stood in the fields uncut, even the ships remained 
idle in the harbour, for the sailors deserted whenever they 
could, and made for the diggings. 

But although many who went to the mines made 
fortunes, others, like Hargraves himself in California, 
returned in a few weeks disappointed and angry. Others, 
too, went thinking that they had nothing to do but pick 
up lumps of gold and carry it home in cart-loads. When 
these found that they had to work hard, to dig, and 
shovel, and wash, perhaps for weeks, to live in a tent and 
* do ' for themselves, they were disgusted, and they, too, 
trooped homewards. AU these disappointed people 
thought that Hargraves had fooled them, and could they 
have found him they would have gladly killed him. But 
he kept out of the way. 

So over the road between Sydney and the diggings 
there was a constant double stream of people, some going, 
eager to begin work, others returning, grumbling and 
discontented. 

But although some returned disappointed, the rush to 
the goldfields continued so great that it seemed as if all 
the other colonies would be emptied of men, and that 
their whole life would come to a standstill. So to stop 
the rush of settlers out of Victoria, the government there 
offered a reward to any one who would find gold in 
Victoria. Gold was found, and found in. far richer quan- 
tities than in New South Wales. The rush was then 



170 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

turned in another direction, but it still went on. Indeed 
Melbourne was left at one time with only one policeman 
on duty. But that did not matter much, as all the rascals 
and thieves had gone to the diggings like other people. 
Some marched along with a pack on their back holding 
all that they possessed in the world, picnicking on the 
way, sleeping in the open air. Others, a little better off, 
had hand-barrows in which to carry their goods, while 
those still better off rode along on horseback or in light 
gigs or buggies. But all hurried in one direction, all had 
one object — gold. 

At first it was only the colonists who swarmed to the 
goldfields, for it w^as some months before the news reached 
home. In those days there was no telegraph to Australia, 
and boats took three months to cross the seas. But 
when at last the news did reach home, whole ship- 
loads of men from almost every nation in Europe came 
thronging to the diggings. There were among them old 
and young, rich and poor, strong and feeble, and even the 
lame and the blind. 

To find the gold there was Uttle skill needed and few 
tools. A pick, a shovel, a pan, and a cradle were enough. 
The cradle was a pan on rockers into which the earth 
containing the gold was put along with water, and rocked 
about until all the sand and earth was washed away and 
only the gold remained. 

All over the country new towns sprang up — towns of 
tents and wooden shanties. There all day long, from 
dawn to dusk, the sound of the pick and the rumble of 
the cradle was heard. Then at the sound of a gun aU 
work ceased. The diggers scattered to their tents, fires 
were lit, and supper was cooked. For a httle there was 
no noise except the clatter of billies or pans in which tea 
was boiled, and the hum of talk. Supper over, the men 




'ALI, DA.TLONG- THE SOUND OF THE PICK AxVD THK HUMBLE OF THE CBADLK WERE HEARD-' 



THE FINDING OF GOLD 171 

sat around the glowing fires smoking and telling tales, 
and singing songs, while overhead the stars came out and 
quiet darkness settled aU about them. Then after a time 
the sounds of song and laughter would cease, and silence 
would reign over the little town tiU morning. 

In those early days many people made great fortunes 
in a few weeks, or sometimes by some lucky find, in one 
day. Others returned home as poor as they had set out, 
and broken in health. And some who made great fortunes 
spent it as quickly as they had made it. They did all 
kinds of wild things simply to get rid of their money, 
such as buying pianos which they could not use, and 
having champagne in bucketfuls. 

Many lumps of gold called nuggets were found, some 
of them so large that one was enough to make a man's 
fortune. One called the Kerr nugget was found by a 
black shepherd near Bathurst. He had heard how white 
men were going almost mad seeking for gold, so while he 
guarded his sheep, he amused himself by poking about 
with a stick to see if he also could not find some of the 
mysterious treasure. And in this way, one day he came 
upon a lump so large that even he, who knew nothing 
of the value of it, grew excited. 

Hunning back to the farmhouse he burst in upon his 
master and mistress as they were sitting down to dinner. 

* O massa ! ' he cried, hardly able to speak for excitement 
and breathlessness, ' white man find little fellow, me find 
big feUow I ' 

When the shepherd had explained what he meant, his 
master put to his horse and drove off to see this wonder- 
ful nugget. There, sure enough, was a huge lump of 
gold sticking out of the ground where every one might 
see it, and only needing to be picked up. It was truly a 

* big fellow,' and so heavy that it had to be broken in two 



172 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

before it could be carried away. It afterwards sold for 
£4000. 

But although the Kerr was one of the first large 
nuggets, it was by no means the largest. Others worth 
more than double were found later, to which people gave 
names such as Blanche Barkly, Welcome Nugget, and 
Welcome Stranger. 

Soon the tented mushroom towns grew larger and 
more numerous. Theatres, hotels, and even churches 
were built. But when a mine became exhausted, or 
when news of a richer mine reached the diggers, the 
township would be deserted, and the country sink back 
to its former peace, only hundreds of Uttle sand heaps 
being left to show where men had lately toiled like a 
swarm of busy ants. 

Things were not always quiet and orderly on the 
goldfields. The greed of gain and the thirst for gold 
brought out man's evil passions, and often dark and 
dreadful deeds were done. 

Every digger, too, had to pay thirty shillings a month 
to the government for leave to dig. To the lucky ones 
who were making fortunes that seemed nothing. To the 
unlucky ones who toiled for days finding little it seemed 
a great deal, and they tried to avoid paying it. Upon 
every gold field there was a force of poHce. These police 
could demand to see a man's licence, and if he had none 
they carried him off to prison. So many of the diggers 
came to look upon the poHce as their enemies, and there 
were often fights between them. 

But those days have long since passed. Gold digging 
still goes on in Austraha. But it is very diiFerent now. 
The men no longer w^ork with pick and shovel, they no 
longer make fortunes in a single day. The mines are 
owned by companies, the men are paid wages like any 



THE FINDING OF GOLD 178 

other miners, and the work is done by machinery with 
all the latest improvements and inventions. And the 
news of the opening of a new mine or the finding of a 
large nugget no longer drives people from their offices 
and their desks to seek their fortunes at the diggings. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE BUSHRANGERS 

' Hunted, and haunted, and hounded. 
Outlawed from human kin. 
Bound with the self-forged fetters 
Of a long career of sin. 
Hands that are red with slaughter. 
Feet that are sunk in crime — 
A harvest of tares and thistles 
For the pending scythe of Time.' 

Jennings Carmichael. 

In the early days of Australia one of the great terrors 
and dangers of a country Ufe was the bushrangers. 

*Bush' meant all land unknown and unreclaimed 
beyond the few towns and settlements. It might be 
* open bush,' * thick bush,' or ' scrubby bush ' — it was all 
bush, whether dark forest with high trees and tangled 
vines, or great plains of tall, waving grass. And the bush- 
rangers were the brigands of the wilds — the Kobin Hoods 
of the Austrahan forests, except that the bushrangers 
were, as a rule, brutal and bad, and we have come to think 
that Robin Hood was a good fellow. 

Bushrangers were at first convicts who had escaped 
into the wilds. For as convicts were hired out to farmers 
and others as servants, it was much easier for them to 
escape than it is for a gang of prisoners working under 
the eye of a warder. Sometimes as many as thirty or 
forty would escape in a year. They fled to the woods, 

174 



THE BUSHRANGERS 175 

often living with the savages and doing dreadful deeds. 
They thought little of committing a murder for a meal, 
but many of their wicked deeds were done out of a kind of 
wild revenge for having been imprisoned. Now and again, 
however, the life in the bush would prove too hard even 
for these criminals, and after suffering fearful hardships 
they would return, begging to be forgiven and taken back. 

But enough remained to become a terror to the 
peaceful inhabitants. And at one time, both in Tasmania 
and in New South Wales, the bushrangers became so bad 
that the settlers worked in the fields with pistols in their 
belts, and the women in the houses kept loaded guns 
always to hand. 

One of the most famous Tasmanian bushrangers was 
Michael Howe. He was a convict who had been a 
sailor, and who had been condemned to seven years' hard 
labour for robbery. But not long after he arrived in 
Tasmania, Howe escaped and joined a band of bush- 
rangers. He soon became their chief, and he ruled like a 
tyrant. He was very haughty, calling himself 'The 
Governor of the Ranges.' The governor of the colony 
he called the * Governor of the Town.' 

Howe and his gang soon became the terror of the 
neighbourhood, but although £100 was offered for his 
head, none dared try to earn it, for most feared him too 
much, while others admired him. 

At last an old sailor named Worral, also a convict, 
determined to win the reward. Helped by two other 
men, he hunted his prey for many days, and at last 
tracked him to his hiding-place. He was a strange figure, 
this wild terror of the hills. Clothed in kangaroo skin, 
with a haversack and powder-flask across his shoulders, 
and a long, dark beard flowing over his breast, he faced 
his enemies, Howe fought well for his life, but the 



176^ OUR EMPIRE STORY 

struggle was short, and he fell to the ground. Then 
hacking oiF his head, Worral carried it, a ghastly prize, 
to the governor, much as in days long, long ago men 
carried the heads of wolves to the king for a reward. 
Worral received his promised reward, and was sent home 
a free man, loaded now, not with fetters, but with the 
thanks both of colonists and governor. 

Years went on, and convicts were no longer sent to 
Australia. For as more and more free settlers came, they 
began to object to the convicts being sent there. Into 
South Austraha they had never been allowed to enter. 
And in 1868, just eighty years after Sydney had been first 
founded, the last convict-ship sailed for Australia. After 
that, evildoers were shut up in prisons at home. 

But although convicts no longer came, bushrangers 
did not die out. Others took to the wild life. Some- 
times they were the descendants of these convicts or of 
ticket-of-leave men, as freed convicts were called, or 
others who had a grudge against mankind, and hated law 
and order, and above aU hated work. They were wild, 
fearless men, splendid horsemen, deadly shots. 

In the great pastures of Austraha horses and cattle 
are not shut into small, fenced fields as at home, but each 
animal has the initial of its owner branded on its hide. 
There were men who made a trade of stealing cattle. 
With a hot iron they changed the letters of the brand, 
and drove the beasts off to some town far enough away 
where buyers could be found who would not ask too 
many questions about where they had come from. These 
men were called * cattle- duffers' or 'bushwhackers.' They 
often carried on their trade for years, but when they 
became known, and the poUce were in search of them, 
they would take to the bush and become regular bush- 
rangers. 



THE BUSHRANGERS 177 

Then when gold was found bushrangers became yet 
more rife. For the gold had to be carried to towns or to 
the coast to be shipped home. It went always guarded 
by troops or pohcemen, but gangs of bushrangers banded 
together and very often managed to carry off the treasure. 
Or sometimes the coach, which carried miners and others 
from the mines to the towns, would be ' held up ' and all 
the passengers robbed. 

One of the most dreaded of bushrangers was a man 
called Daniel Morgan. He was a wild, bad man, and, 
unlike other bushrangers, he was always alone. He was 
utterly brutal, and his one desire seemed to be to kill. 
One day he walked into a farmhouse, alone as usual, with 
a pistol in either hand and demanded brandy. It was 
given to him, and then, either from drunkenness or mere 
cruelty, he began firing among the men with his pistols. 
Three of them were so badly wounded that one man 
asked leave to go for a doctor. Morgan said he might 
go, but when the farmer was on his horse he repented, 
and, firing at him from behind, shot him dead. 

With such doings as these Morgan kept the country- 
side a-tremble. But at last he came to his end. 

The dreaded bushranger appeared one evening at a 
farmhouse called Peachelba, owned by a Mr. MacPherson. 
He ordered tea, and after tea commanded Mrs. MacPherson 
to play upon the piano. With trembling fingers the 
poor lady did her best. But, as you may imagine, at 
such a time she could not give her mind to piano-playing, 
and aU the thanks she got was to be yelled at and told 
that she played very badly. 

All the household had been gathered into the room by 
Morgan's orders, so that he might have them under his 
eye and pistol Only one little child who was ill was 
allowed to stay in bed. But now the child began to cry, 

M 



178 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

and Mrs. MacPherson begged to be allowed to send her 
servant to look after it. 

Morgan gruffly gave permission, and the servant left 
Wie room. Presently the crying ceased, and Mrs. Mac- 
Pherson, lookmg out of the window, saw some one 
rumimg from the house. 

It was the servant. As fast as her feet could carry 
her she ran to another farm near. Panting and breathless, 
she rushed mto the house and told her news. *But I 
must go back,' she added, 'or he wiU miss me.' 

* All right,' said the farmer, and the brave servant fled 
back agam and returned to the sick child before any one 
except Mrs. MacPherson, knew that she had been out of 
the house. 

Quickly the farmer sent messages to the country round 
about, and by morning twenty-eight men had gathered to 
surround Peachelba, eager to catch Morgan. 

It was a long, weary night to the folk at the farm, but 
at last day dawned. Breakfast over, Morgan picked up 
his pistols. ' Now, JMacPherson,' he said, * we wiU ffo and 
get a horse.' 

MacPherson agreed, for he could do nothing else 
But as they walked to the yard a man suddenly slipped 
fi'om behmd a tree. He levelled a gun, there was a 
loud report, and the dreaded Morgan fell to the ground 
Then as if by magic men hurried from their hiding-places 
and surrounded him. A few hours later Morgan died 
havmg hardly spoken except to grumble that he had not 
been chaUenged to a fight— had not had a 'fair chance.' 

A very famous band of bushrangers was a gang caUed 
the KeUys. The whole famHy, both men and women 
were a wild, horse-stealing, house-breaking lot. So much 
feared were they that the country they lived in came to 
be known as the Kelly district. But they, too, came to 



THE BUSHRANGERS 179 

their end. Ned Kelly was hanged, others of the gang 
met their deaths in different ways, and the country settled 
down into peace once more. But so famous had they 
been that a theatre manager bought their horses, and made 
a good deal of money by bringing them into a Christmas 
pantomime in Melbourne. 

Now, happily, the bushranger has gone from the land 
of Australia as pirates have vanished from the seas. And 
we may be glad. Their doings may make thrilling stories 
to read, but most of us would rather not meet them in 
real life. And it is strange to think that they lived so 
lately. Robin Hood seems a long way off in the story of 
our little island, but it is less than thirty years since the 
last Australian bushranger met his death, and there are 
men still living who can remember the days when Morgan 
and the Kellys and others like them held the countryside 
in thrall. 

But AustraHa is a country which makes rapid strides. 
One hundred and eighty years ago there was no such 
place, so far as the white man was concerned. Now in 
the Island-Continent there are more than five million 
white people. And what is more wonderful is that a 
whole continent is under one flag, a thing which in the 
history of the world has never been before, not even in 
the days of Alexander, of Caesar, or of Napoleon. And 
that flag is the red, white, and blue — the Union Jack. 
For although since 1901, when all the five colonies united 
in one, Australia has been a commonwealth, it is still a 
part of the British Empire. 



180 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS 



Kings of Great Britain 


AND Ire- 


Governors of New South Wales. 


LAND. 






George iii., . 


1760 


Captain Arthur Phillip, 1787 to 1792 
Major Grose, . . . 1792 „ 1796 
Captain John Hunter, . 1795 „ 1800 
Captain King, . . 1800 „ 1806 
Captain Bligh, . . 1806 „ 1808 
Major-GeneralMacquarie, 1808 „ 1821 


George iv., . . , 


1820 


Sir Thomas Brisbane, . 1822 „ 1826 
Sir Ralph Darling, . 1826 „ 1831 


William iv., > . 


1830 


Sir Richard Bourke, . 1831 „ 1838 


Victoria, , , 


1837 


Sir George Gipps, . . 1838 „ 1846 
Sir Charles Fitzroy, . 1846 „ 1866 
Sir William Denison, . 1865 „ 1861 
Sir John Young, . . 1861 „ 1867 

(Lord Lisgar) 
Lord Belmore, . . 1868 „ 1872 
Sir Hercules Robinson, . 1872 „ 1879 
Lord Loftus, . . . 1879 „ 1886 
Lord Carrington, . . 1886 „ 1890 
Earl Jersey, . . . 1890 „ 1893 
Sir J. Duff, . . . 1893 „ 1894 
Viscount Hampden, . 1894 „ 1899 

GOVERNORS-GENERAL OF THE COMMON- 
WEALTH OF AUSTRALIA. 

Lord Hopetoun, . . 1900 „ 1902 


Edward vii.. 


1901 


Lord Tennyson, . . 1902 „ 1904 
Lord Northcote, . . 1904 „ 1908 
Earl Dudley,. . . 1908 „ 1911 


George v. , . . , 


1910 


Lord Denman, . . 1911 



NEW ZEALAND 



Note.— The verses in this part of the book are by New Zealand writers 
or are translations of Maori songs. 



CHAPTER I 

HOW A GREAT WHITE BIRD CAME TO THE SHORES 

It is doubtful what white man first saw the shores of 
New Zealand. But the honour is generally given to the 
Dutch discoverer Tasman. In 1642, returning to Batavia, 
after having discovered Tasmania, he came upon South 
Island. Hoping to get fresh water and green food to 
supply his ship, he anchored. Soon canoes pushed out 
from the shore, and wild, half-naked savages surrounded 
Tasman's two ships. They called to the white strangers 
in loud, rough voices, and blew upon a harsh-sounding 
trumpet. But they would not come within a stone's 
throw of the ships, although Tasman tried to entice them 
with presents of linen and knives. 

Seeing the natives so many and so warlike, Tasman 
thought that it would be weU to warn the sailors in the 
other ship to be on their guard, and not let them come 
aboard. So he ordered a boat to be lowered. But as 
soon as the natives saw the boat in the water, they 
surrounded it and drove their canoes crashing against its 
sides, so that it heeled over. The savages then attacked 
the Dutchmen with their paddles and short, thick clubs. 
Three were kiUed, and one wounded so badly that he 
died ; the others jumped into the water and swam to 
their ship, while the savages made off, taking one of the 
dead Dutchmen with them. 

Now all hope of friendly barter with the natives being 

188 



184 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

at an end, Tasman sailed away. In memory of this cruel 
greeting from the savages, he called the place Murderer's 
Bay, but the name has since been changed to Golden 
Bay. The whole land Tasman called Staten Land, but 
that name, too, was soon changed to New Zealand, which 
name it has kept ever since. And, although we have 
come to think of it as an English name, it is really Dutch, 
for the new found land was called after that part of 
Holland called Zeeland. 

But although Tasman had discovered and named New 
Zealand, no white man had yet set foot upon its shores. 
The Dutch made no use of their discovery, and for many 
years the wild Maoris, as the natives of New Zealand 
are called, were left undisturbed. Now and again a ship 
touched upon the shores, but little was known of the 
islands until, a hundred years and more after Tasman had 
sailed away, when another great sailor reached them. 
This was Captain James Cook. 

In 1769 Cook set out upon a voyage of discovery, 
and before he reached the Great South Land, he came 
upon the shores of New Zealand. He touched the shores, 
not on the west side as Tasman had done, but on the 
east coast at Poverty Bay. Here he landed, being the 
first white man who is known certainly to have set foot 
upon these islands. 

To the natives the coming of Cook was a thing of 
fear and wonder. As the Endeavour, with outspread 
sails, came nearer and nearer, they watched the great, 
white bird, as they took it to be, in amazement, marvel- 
ling at the size and beauty of its wings. Presently the 
white bird folded its wings, and from its side down 
dropped a tiny wingless bird. This, as it came near, they 
saw was a curious canoe, filled with white-faced gods. 
At the sight they turned and fled away in terror. But 




'COOK TOLD THE MAORIS THAT HK HAD COME TO SET A MARK UPON" THEIR ISLANDS.' 



A GREAT WHITE BIRD 185 

soon taking courage, they returned brandishing long, 
wooden spears, and seeming so ready to fight that Cook's 
men fired upon them. And thus upon the very first day 
on which the white man came, blood stained the ground. 

From Poverty Bay, Cook sailed northward, meeting 
often with savages. Sometimes they were friendly, and 
would barter honestly mth the ship's crew. At other 
times they were warlike or thievish, stealing what they 
could, and singing loud war-songs in defiance. 

Cook had with him a South Sea Islander called Tupia, 
who helped him very much to become friendly with the 
savages. For although their languages were not quite 
the same, they could understand each other. So Tupia 
was able to tell the savages that Cook came in a friendly 
way, and did not want to fight. 

At Mercury Bay, Cook again landed, set up the 
Union Jack, carved the ship's name and the date upon a 
tree, and claimed the land for His ]Majesty, King George. 
Then sailing onward, he passed all round North Island, 
and through Cook's Strait (named after himself), proving 
thus to himself and his crew that these lands were indeed 
islands, and not part of a continent as had been thought. 

At Queen Charlotte's Sound, upon South Island, 
Cook set up two posts, one on the mainland and one on 
a little island. Upon these posts were carved the ship's 
name, the month, and the year, and from the top of them 
the Union Jack fluttered out. 

A few natives came to watch these strange doings, 
and Cook told them that he had come to set a mark upon 
their islands, in order to show any ship that might put in 
there that he had been before them. So the savages 
allowed him to put up the posts, and promised never to 
puU them down. They did not understand, however, 
that Cook, in the manner of those days, was claiming 



186 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

their land in the name of a king who lived in another 
island, far far away. 

After setting up the Union Jack on Queen Charlotte 
Sound, Cook sailed all round South Island and Stewart 
Island, and upon 1st April 1770, he left the coast, and 
steered for the Great South Land. 

Cook discovered many interesting things about New 
Zealand. Among other things, he found out that except 
a few rats and a few ugly little dogs, there were no four- 
footed animals in the islands at all. Both rats and dogs 
were used for food, but the natives chiefly lived on eels, 
fish, and fern-root. New Zealand is the land of ferns, 
and every valley and hillside is green with them. With 
the Maoris, fern-root took the place of corn with us, for 
in New Zealand, although the land was fertile and good, 
no grain of any kind grew. Fern-root was first roasted, 
then beaten into a greyish kind of meal, from which 
bread was made. 

The Maoris were tall, strong men of a brownish 
colour. Their hair was black, and they wore it tied 
into a bunch on the top of the head, into which they 
stuck a black, red, or white feather. The faces of the 
chiefs were tattooed all over in wonderful patterns, the 
less important people painted themselves with red ochre. 

They were a savage and ignorant people, but brave 
and warlike. Many of them did not care in the least 
for beads and ribbons and things which usually pleased 
savages. They thought much more of iron nails, knives, 
and hatchets. But although they were such fine men, 
there was one very bad and horrible thing about them. 
They were cannibals. 

The islands were filled with many tribes, who were 
constantly quarrelling and fighting with each other. 
Very little was enough to make a quarrel, for the Maoris 



A GREAT WHITE BIRD 187 

were terribly proud. A blow was a deadly insult which 
could only be wiped out in blood, and after a battle the 
victors would make a horrid feast upon the bodies of their 
fallen foes. That a chief should be eaten was counted a 
great disgrace to his tribe, for it was a proof of defeat. 
And to say to a Maori that his father had been eaten was 
an insult beyond all words. To have killed and eaten 
many enemies was a warrior's brightest glory, and great 
men were often called * eaters of chiefs.' 

In seven years Cook paid five visits to New Zealand. 
Each time he discovered more of the coast, and learned 
more of the people and their customs. He brought with 
him pigs, fowls, potatoes, maize, and other plants and 
animals likely to be of use to the savages. Some of the 
plants and animals died, but both pigs and potatoes soon 
grew plentiful in the land. 



CHAPTER II 

THE APOSTLE OF NEW ZEALAND 

After Cook, the next visitors to New Zealand were 
Frenchmen. In those days, as soon as a new land was 
discovered, wonderful stories were told about it. And 
the Frenchmen, having heard that the British had dis- 
covered an island full of gold and precious stones, came 
to see, and, if possible, get some of it for themselves. 
They fell into quarrels and misunderstandings with the 
natives, and horrible massacres took place. Soon tales of 
the cruel, man-eating savages who lived in New Zealand 
spread far and wide. It was not long before the islands 
got such an evU name that sailors avoided the shores with 
horror. Men thirsting for fresh water, dying for want of 
fresh food, chose rather to die than to run the risk of 
falling into the hands of cannibal savages. 

But in spite of its evil name, there were still some 
roving, daring Britons who ventured to the shores to 
barter with the savages. For New Zealand flax was so 
soft and silky that manufacturers were eager to buy it. 
New Zealand timber, too, was sought after, and above all 
it was found to be a splendid sealing and whaliug ground. 
So for the sake of wealth men were found to brave the 
terrors of these shores. 

But these old sealers and whalers were among the 
wildest and most reckless of men. They treated the 
Maoris and their customs with contempt. They carried 

1S8 



THE APOSTLE OF NEW ZEALAND 189 

them off, both men and women, as slaves, and again and 
again the proud savages repaid such treatment with a 
terrible vengeance. 

Vainly good men, seeing these things, appealed to 
King George to put a stop to them. The answer was, 
'The islands are not within His Majesty's dominions.' 
Yet at other times the government acted as if the islands 
were within His Majesty's dominions. The Governor of 
New South Wales tried to protect the savages, and 
threatened those who ill-treated them with punishments. 
That, too, was vain. For in those days many white men 
regarded a savage as little better than a beast, to be 
hunted and hounded as such. 

Besides being brave and warlike, the Maoris were a 
roving, sea-loving people like the Britons themselves. 
Long ages before white men had touched their shores, 
they, too, had come from far distant islands, and made a 
new home in New Zealand. The story of their wander- 
ings had been handed down from father to son, and the 
names of the canoes in which they had come were still 
remembered among them. 

Now that white men came again and again from far 
over the seas, the roving spirit awoke once more in many 
of the Maoris. They longed to see the land from which 
these white-faced strangers came; these strangers who 
carried thunder and Ughtning in their hands, and spoke 
death to their enemies from afar. They wanted, too, to 
see the great chief of this powerful nation, for they thought 
he must be indeed a mighty warrior. So some of the 
Maoris ventured on board the whaling vessels and sailed 
away to England. Some of them, too, saw King George, 
but when they found that he was a feeble, old man and no 
warrior at all, they were greatly disappointed. 

Some Maoris, too, sailed to Sydney. There they met 



190 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

a man whose name stands out in the early story of 
New Zealand almost more than any other. This man 
was Samuel Marsden, who has been called the ' Apostle 
of New Zealand.' 

Marsden was prison chaplain at Sydney. He had done 
much good work among the rough, bad convicts, and 
when he came to know the wild, ignorant, misunderstood 
savages, he longed to help them too. ' They are as noble 
a race of men as are to be met with in any part of the 
world,' he wrote to a friend. * I trust I shall be able in 
some measure to put a stop to those dreadful murders 
which have been committed upon the islands for some 
years past, both by Europeans and by the natives. They 
are a much injured people notwithstanding aU that has 
been said against them.' 

Among the Maoris whom Marsden met was a chief 
called Ruatara. He was one of those who had travelled 
to Europe. There he had had many adventures, and had 
been cruelly treated by the white men in whom he had 
trusted. He was returning home, poor and miserable, 
when Marsden met and befriended him. And when after 
more adventures he at length reached New Zealand again, 
he carried with him the story of Marsden's kindness, 
making his countrymen believe that all white men were 
not treacherous and base. 

Ruatara also carried home with him a present of wheat 
which Marsden had told him how to sow. 

The wheat was sown, and grew, and ripened. But 
the Maoris scoffed. They did not beheve Ruatara's tale 
that flour could be made from these thin, yellow stalks. 
But strong in his faith in his new friend, Ruatara reaped 
and threshed his wheat. Then he came to a standstill. 
The Maori savages had no idea of the roughest or simplest 
kind of mill. Ruatara did not know how to grind his 



THE APOSTLE OF NEW ZEALAND 191 

wheat, and the laughter against him grew louder than 
ever. But Marsden had not forgotten his friend, and 
soon a ship arrived bringing the present of a hand-mill. 

In great excitement Ruatara called his friends together. 
They gathered round him, still scoffing. But when a 
stream of flour flowed from the mill they were lost in 
wonder. As soon as enough flour was ground it was 
carried off", hastily made into a cake, and cooked in a fry- 
ing pan. Then the Maoris danced and sang for joy. 
Ruatara had spoken truth. Henceforth he was to be 
believed, and they were ready to receive his friend 
Marsden with kindness. 

Soon after this Marsden got leave from his work in 
New South Wales and visited New Zealand. He landed 
in the Bay of Islands, on the north-east coast of North 
Island. In this very bay, not long before, the crew of a 
British ship had been cruelly slaughtered, and many of 
them devoured by the savage victors. Yet without one 
thought of fear Marsden landed among these man-eaters. 

Marsden brought with him, as a present from the 
Governor of New South Wales, three horses, two cows, 
and a buU. None of the Maoris, except the two or three 
like Ruatara who had travelled, had ever seen a horse or 
a cow. They had never seen any animal bigger than a 
pig, so they wondered greatly at these large, strange beasts. 
And when Marsden mounted one of the horses and rode 
along the sands, they wondered still more. 

At this time a fierce war was raging in the Bay of 
Islands between Ruatara and his uncle Hongi on the one 
side, and a tribe caUed the Whangaroans on the other 
side. Marsden was already known as the friend of 
Ruatara. Now he determined to make friends with the 
Whangaroans and bring peace between the foes. 

These were the very savages who not long before had 



192 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

killed and eaten the British sailors. Yet Marsden made 
up his mind to spend a night among them. Taking only 
one friend with him, Marsden went first to the camp of 
Hongi. Hongi was a very great and fierce warrior, but 
Samuel Marsden had won his heart, and with him he was 
gentle and kind. In Hongi's camp the missionaries had 
supper and then they walked to the enemy's camp, which 
was about a mile away. 

The Whangaroan chiefs received the white strangers 
kindly. They all sat down together, the chiefs surround- 
ing the two white men. The summer sun was setting, 
night was coming on, they were alone among camiibals, 
yet they felt no fear. 

Marsden began to talk, telling the Maoris why he had 
come. He was the friend of Hongi and Ruatara, he said, 
he wished to be their friend, too, and bring peace among 
them. Marsden could not speak the Maori language, so 
one chief, who Hke Ruatara had travelled, and could 
speak English, translated aU that Marsden said. 

Long they talked. The sun set, the sky grew dark, 
the stars shone out. One by one the savages lay down to 
rest upon the ground. At length Marsden, too, and his 
friend wrapped themselves in their greatcoats and lay 
down. 

But for Marsden there was little sleep. He ky awake, 
watching and thinking. It was a strange scene. Above 
twinkled the bright stars, in front lay the sea, calm and 
smooth, the waves splashing softly against the shore. 
Far off in the bay shone the Hghts of the waiting ship, but 
close around the white men rose a forest of spears, stuck 
upright in the ground. AU over the plain lay huddled 
groups of man-eating savages, sleeping peacefully. And 
who could be sure that they would not suddenly spring 
up and slay the two white men to make a morning feast ? 



THE APOSTLE OF NEW ZEALAND 193 

But the night passed, and with daylight came a boat 
from the ship to take Marsden and his friend on board 
again. Marsden asked all the chiefs to come too, al- 
though he doubted if they would trust themselves in his 
power, knowing how often they had been deceived by 
wicked white men. They showed, however, no sign either 
of fear or anger, and went on board the ship quite will- 
ingly. First Marsden gave them breakfast, then he 
gathered them aU into the cabin. Here, too, came Hongi 
and Ruatara, and having given them each a present of an 
axe or something useful, he asked them to make friends 
and promise to fight no more. Then to Marsden's great 
joy .the rival chiefs fell upon each other's necks, rubbed 
noses (which is the Maori way of shaking hands), and so 
made peace. The Whangaroan chiefs then went away 
much pleased with their presents, and vowing always to love 
the missionaries, and never more to hurt British traders. 

The Sunday after this meeting was Christmas Day, 
and Ruatara was very anxious that there should be 
' church.' So without telling any one, he began to make 
great preparations. 

First he fenced in about an acre of land. Then he 
made a pulpit and a reading-desk out of an old canoe, and 
covered them with black cloth. He also made seats for 
the white people out of bits of old canoes, and upon the 
highest point near he set up a flagstaff. Then hsiving 
finished all his preparations he went to tell Mr. Marsden 
that everything was ready for a Christmas service. 

So on Christmas morning 1815 the first Christmas 
service was held in New Zealand. Every one from the 
ship, except one man and a boy, went ashore. For 
Marsden was so sure that the Maoris meant to be friendly 
that he felt there was no need for any one to stay to guard 
the ship. 

N 



194 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

The Union Jack was run up, and when Mr. Marsden 
landed he found the Maori chiefs drawn up in line ready 
to receive him. They were all dressed in regimentals 
which the Governor of New South Wales had given them, 
and behind them were gathered their whole tribes, men, 
women, and children. And thus, following the white men, 
they aU marched to * church.' 

The white men took their seats, and behind them 
crowded the dark-faced savages. The ground was carpeted 
with green fern, the sky was blue above, and a very 
solemn silence fell upon the waiting crowd as Mr. Marsden 
and his friends stood up and sang the Old Hundredth 
Psalm. 

All people that on earth do dwell. 
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. 
Him serve with mirth. His praise forth tell, 
Come ye before Him and rejoice. 
Know that the Lord is God indeed ; 
Without our aid He did us make : 
We are His flock, He doth us feed, 
And for His sheep He doth us take. 

When the singing was over Marsden read the EngUsh 
Church Service. The people stood up and knelt down at 
a sign from one of their chiefs, for they understood not a 
word of what was said. 

*We don't know what it aU means,' they said to 
Ruatara. 

* Never mind,' said he, * you will understand later.' 

* Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy,' was 
Marsden's text, and when the sermon was over Ruatara 
tried to explain in Maori language what it was aU about. 
And if the Maoris did not quite understand aU, this they 
did understand, that Mr. Marsden wanted to be kind to 
them, and bring peace between his countrymen and 
theirs. 



CHAPTER III 

HONGI THE WARRIOR 

Mr. Marsden could not stay long in New Zealand, for 
his work was in Australia. But there came with him two 
missionaries, and they stayed when he left. One of these 
missionaries taught the Maoris how to build houses and 
boats; the other taught how to make fishing-lines and 
other useful things. For Marsden did not believe in 
teaching the savages only to be Christian. He thought it 
best to teach them first how to live decent and comfort- 
able lives, and how to trade. * You cannot form a nation 
without trade and the civil arts,' he said. 

Before he left New Zealand Marsden bought about 
two hundred acres of land, paying twelve axes for it to 
the chief to whom it belonged. Upon this the mission- 
aries built their houses and schools, and this was the first 
piece of land really possessed by the British in New 
Zealand, and their title to it was duly set down in 
writing. ' Know aU men to whom these shall come, that 
I, Anodee O Gunna, King of Ranghechoo, in the Island 
of New Zealand, have, for twelve axes to me in hand now 
paid and delivered by the Reverend Samuel Marsden, 
given, granted, bargained, and sold, all that parcel of land 
in the district of Hoshee, in the Island of New Zealand, 
for ever.' 

This writing was signed by two Englishmen, and 
as Gunna could not write, Hongi drew a copy of the 

196 



196 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

tattooing on his face upon the parchment, and Gunna set 
his mark to it. Thus the white man first set his hand 
upon the land. 

This bargain being settled, Marsden returned to 
Austraha. He was gladly received by his friends there, 
for they had hardly hoped to see him return aUve from 
the dreaded cannibal islands. 

Although Samuel Marsden was a clergyman and 
wanted to make the Maoris Christian, he thought the 
best way of doing that was to teach them how to Hve 
better Hves, how to plant wheat, build houses, and live in 
peace with their neighbours. * Hoes, spades, and axes,' 
he said, * are silent but sure missionaries.' 

So he encouraged them to trade. But one thing he 
would not sell to the Maoris. That thing was firearms. 
He sent a blacksmith to live among the heathen and 
teach them his trade. But he was forbidden to make or 
mend any weapon. No missionary was allowed to sell 
guns, and when Marsden discovered that one had dis- 
obeyed his orders he was sent away in disgrace. 

But Hongi, although he had made peace at Marsden's 
bidding, was a fierce, proud warrior. He Hved for re- 
venge, and loved power. ' There is but one king in 
Britain,' he said, *and there shall be but one in New 
Zealand.' He resolved that he should be that king. But 
before he began his conquests he paid a visit to England. 

In England Hongi was feted and made much of. For 
it was almost as good as going to a wild beast show to 
dine with a cannibal chief. He became a ' lion ' and went 
from one fine house to another, being everywhere loaded 
with presents. Hongi saw many wonderful things, but he 
liked best to watch the soldiers and to wander among the 
arms and armour in the Tower. 

Hongi went one day to see the king, and he, knowing 



HONGI THE WARRIOR 197 

his love for soldiers, gave him a suit of old armour. Of 
all the presents he received, Hongi prized his suit of 
armour most. 

At last, his mind filled with all the splendours he had 
seen, Hongi sailed homeward. On his way he stopped at 
Sydney, and there he sold aU his fine presents, except 
only his armour. With the money he bought guns and 
ammunition, and once more set out for New Zealand. 

Then Hongi began his career of conquest. None now 
could stand against him. Battle after battle was fought. 
Wooden spears went down before his thunder of guns, 
and after the battle the victors rejoiced in horrid revelry 
upon the bodies of their foes. 

Thousands were slain, hundreds more men, women, 
and children were led captive as slaves. From end to end. 
North Island was filled with wrath and tears. Hongi 
stalked in conquering pride, glorying in the numbers he 
had killed and eaten. 

The missionaries were in despair. AU the good they 
had done, all Marsden's peacemaking, seemed to have been 
in vain. For six years the country was filled with slaughter 
and woe, and the beautiful fernland was turned into a 
desert, where men wandered seeking revenge and blood. 

But at last Hongi's career of war and triumph came 
to an end. Other tribes saw that their only safety lay in 
getting guns to fight guns. And guns they got. And so 
the slaughter was made worse, until at length Hongi was 
wounded and died. He died a warrior, 'Kia touj kia toaj 
he said, * be brave, be brave.' 

Hongi lived and died in the shedding of blood, yet he 
never harmed the missionaries. They were doers of good, 
he said. He was Marsden's friend, and he sent his 
children to the missionary schools, but he himseli' never 
became a Christian. 



198 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

After Hongi's death the missionaries once more be- 
came peacemakers, and they persuaded the lawless tribes 
to lay down their weapons. But it was uphill work, for 
bad, white men were constantly undoing the good which 
the missionaries did. So battles, and murders, and horrid 
cannibal feasts went on. 

Sometimes, too, without meaning it, white men made 
the Maoris angry. It was, for instance, a great crime to 
touch anything which, for some reason or another, had 
been declared to be ' tapu,' that is sacred. White people 
did not understand the rules of tapu, and often in sheer 
ignorance they broke them. According to Maori law this 
was a sin which could only be wiped out by blood, so, 
often for seemingly harmless deeds, white men were 
horribly murdered. 

Yet in spite of all dangers, in spite of the dark tales of 
horror, some settlers were at length lured to the shores. 
For the land was wonderfully fertile, and people hoped to 
make great fortunes. So a shipload of colonists arrived, 
determined to make their homes in New Zealand. 

But just at this time the islanders were at war with 
each other, and soon after they landed the colonists saw a 
war-dance. It was night time. Fires and flaring torches 
lit up the dusky forms of five or six hundred warriors, 
who stood in four long rows, swaying and stamping in 
time to the chant of their leader. With waving arms and 
roUing eyes they joined in chorus. Thrusting out their 
tongues, grinning horribly, in the flickering light they 
seemed Uke dancing demons. Now uttering loud yells, 
now hissing like a thousand serpents, now crashing their 
weapons together, they danced on. Bending, swajdng, 
hissing, yelling, they went through aU the actions of war, 
in fancy killing and eating their enemies. The sight 
was too much for the new-come colonists. Filled with 



HONGI THE WARmOR 199 

horror and dread, they fled jfrom the land as quickly as 

possible. 

Yet in spite of all their wild savagery Marsden loved 
the Maoris. He returned again and again to visit them. 
Him they always greeted with joy ; him they were always 
ready to obey. When for the last time he came among 
them he was an old white-haired man, unable to ride or 
walk far. But, glad to serve him, the Maoris carried him 
about in a Utter, and when he spoke of trying to ride they 
were quite hurt. Soon after his last visit to New Zealand 
Marsden died, regretted and mourned by all who knew 
him, but by none so much as by the Maoris, who had lost 
in him a good friend. 



CHAPTER IV 

HOW THE MAORIS BECAME THE CHILDREN OF 
THE GREAT WHITE QUEEN 

Although it was now more than sixty years since 
Cook had planted the Union Jack and claimed the islands 
of New Zealand for the British Crown, they were not yet 
considered part of the British Empire. Many evil deeds 
were done in the islands by white men, and the British 
seemed to have no power, or no will to stop them. * The 
islands are not within His Majesty's dominions ' was the 
convenient answer to all appeals for help. 

But at last, in 1832, a British Resident was sent to live 
in New Zealand. He was told to try and make things 
better, but he had no power. He did nothing. He could 
do nothing. * A ship of war without any guns,' he was 
scornfully called. 

About this time Baron de Thierry, a Frenchman who 
had spent much of his life in England, tried to make 
himself King of New Zealand. He bought, or thought 
he bought, a great part of North Island for thirty axes. 
Then he issued proclamations calling himself, * Charles 
Baron de Thierry, Sovereign Chief of New Zealand, and 
King of Nuhuheva,' and promising his protection and 
favour to all who would take office under him. 

When the British Resident, Mr. Busby, saw this 
proclamation, he began to be afraid that the French were 
coming to take the land. So he banded thirty-five of the 

200 



CHILDREN OF THE WHITE QUEEN 201 

Maori chiefs together into what he called the United 
States of New Zealand. These chiefs declared themselves 
independent, but at the same time they begged the King 
of Great Britain to protect them against their enemies. 

This declaration Busby sent to Thierry. But Thierry 
repUed that New Zealand was not a British possession, 
that Tasman was there before Cook, and that he as king 
came to protect New Zealand hberties. 

AU this time Thierry had lived and written at a distance. 
Now he arrived in his kingdom. He brought with him 
only about ninety followers, gathered chiefly from the 
riff-raff of Sydney. He planted his flag, however, ordered 
his followers to stand bareheaded in his presence, and to be 
careful never to turn their backs when they left it. He scat- 
tered empty titles and honours around, and began to make 
a carriage drive from his * palace ' to the Bay of Islands. 

But the new king soon found that his thirty axes had 
only brought for him two or three hundred acres of land, 
instead of the kingdom he had thought. His money 
came to an end, his followers laughed at him, and his 
kingship ended in air. 

A few years after this some people in England formed 
a company, which they called the New Zealand Land 
Company. Hundreds of acres of land were sold in 
London before it had been bought from the natives or 
even seen by any white man. Hundreds of people, eager 
to make money, bought this land without knowing any- 
thing about it, except that it was somewhere in New 
Zealand. Then the Company sent a shipload of settlers 
out to found a colony. 

This was against the law, for, before a British colony 
can be formed, leave must be given from the crown. No 
such leave had been asked or given. Indeed the ship 
was sent off in secret 



202 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Now at last the British Government woke up. It 
was seen that something must be done. On the one 
hand British settlers had to be protected from the cruelties 
of the Maoris. On the other hand the Maoris had to be 
protected from greedy, land-grabbing white people. 

So Captain Hobson was sent out to be the first 
governor. He was told to make treaties with the native 
chiefs, and then to declare New Zealand to be a 
British colony. 

On the 29th of February 1840 Hobson landed, and 
upon the 5th February he held a great meeting of the 
chiefs at a place called Waitangi. 

On a plain near the town a platform was raised, and 
here at noon the governor took his seat, with the principal 
white people. Close round the platform sat the grave, 
dark-faced Maori chieftains, and behind them gathered 
the rest of the white people. The sun shone from a sky 
blue and cloudless, the gay tents of the British, decorated 
with flags, showed bravely against the background of 
waving trees. It was a scene of beauty and of peace. 
But there were those who shook their heads and sighed. 
No good would come of the meeting, they said, for did 
not Waitangi mean * weeping water ' ? 

When all were gathered, Hobson spoke to the people. 
But as he could not speak the Maori language a missionary 
translated what he said to them. He told them how the 
great white Queen far over the sea loved all her people. 
He told them that if they would promise to be her 
children she would love them too. The great white Queen 
was very powerful, he said, and would protect them 
from aU their enemies, if they would acknowledge her as 
their over-lord. 

When Hobson had finished, the Maori chiefs were 
asked to speak their thoughts. Many of them did not 



CHILDREN OF THE WHITE QUEEN 203 

wish to make a treaty. * Send the man away,' said one. 
* Do not sign the paper. If you do you will become his 
slaves. Your land wiU be taken from you. You will no 
longer be chiefs, but will have to break stones upon the 
roads.' 

Then an old chief named Waka Nene rose. He was 
great in battle, wise in council, and his people Ustened to 
him willingly. Now he prayed them to hearken to the 
white lord. * You wiU be our father,' he said, turning to 
Hobson. * You will not allow us to become slaves. You 
will keep our old customs, and never allow our land to 
be taken from us.' 

Then there was much talk this way and that. Many 
of the chiefs grew fierce and excited, others sat in sullen 
anger. At last it was agreed that they should think 
about it for one day and return then to tell the governor 
what they had decided. 

Next day the treaty was signed. Waka Nene, the 
wise old warrior who had spoken so well, signed his name 
as the missionaries had taught him to do. The other 
chiefs made marks on the paper like the tattooing on 
their faces. A little later the treaty was signed by many 
of the chiefs on South Island, and by the end of June 
Victoria was proclaimed overlord of North and South 
Islands by treaty, and of Stewart Island by right of dis- 
covery. Thus New Zealand became part of the British 
Empire. 

Soon after this the town of Auckland was founded 
and made the headquarters of the government. And 
now that New Zealand had become a British possession, 
people began to believe that the land would grow peace- 
ful and safe to live in, and in a very short time hundreds 
of settlers arrived. 

In the meantime, a town in the south of North Island 



204 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

had been founded by the New Zealand Company, who, 
you remember, had secretly sent off a shipload of colonists. 
They called their town Wellington, in honour of the 
great Duke. 

Wakefield, the leader of the Company, had, by this 
time too, bought great tracts of land from the Maoris 
for such things as guns, razors, looking-glasses, seal- 
ing wax, nightcaps, jews' harps. Many of the Maoris 
did not understand the bargains. Many of them had no 
power to sell the land, and no wish to do so. They only 
pretended to do so because they wanted the guns and 
other things. Wakefield, on the other hand, had really no 
power to buy. For since Queen Victoria had become 
overlord, land could only be bought through the govern- 
ment. So trouble began. Indeed all the war and trouble 
there has been in New Zealand has arisen out of quarrels 
over land. Wakefield did not understand the Maoris, 
and knew nothing of their land laws, which were very 
difficult to follow. Sometimes both Maoris and white 
people would claim the same piece of ground, the one 
saying that he had bought it, the other saying that he had 
never sold it. And when the Maoris saw that the white 
people were taking all the best of the land they grew 
angry and frightened, and quarrels followed. So the new 
governor's task was not an easy one. But Hobson was 
a good and true man, and did his best to be fair both to 
Maoris and to white men. 

Hobson worked hard in spite of illness, for soon after 
the signing of the Waitangi treaty he became ill. He 
never got weU again, but in spite of that he stuck to his 
post bravely, until after two and a half years he died. 

During these two and a half years New Zealand 
leaped forward as if by magic. When Hobson first came 
there were not two thousand white people in aU the 



CHILDREN OF THE WHITE QUEEN 205 

islands. When he died there were twelve thousand. 
Besides Auckland and Wellington, the towns of New 
Plymouth and Nelson, as well as many other villages, had 
sprung up. There were schools and churches, newspapers, 
soldiers, and poHce, where a few months before there had 
been only one or two missionaries, and wild traders, 
scattered amongst fierce man-eating savages. 

The Maoris, as well as the white people, were sorry 
when Governor Hobson died. ' Mother Victoria,' wrote 
one of the chiefs to the Queen, * my subject is a Governor 
for us Maoris and for the Pakeha (settlers) in this island. 
Let him be a good man. Look out for a good man, a 
man of judgment. Let not a troubler come here. Let 
not a boy come here, or one puffed up. Let him be a 
good man as the Governor who has just died.' 



CHAPTER V 

*THE HEAVENLY DAWN' AND 'THE WILD CABBAGE 
LEAF' MAKE WAR 

' Rauparaha's war chant, 
Rauparaha's fame song, 
Rauparaha's story 
Told on the harp-strings, 
Pakeha harp-cords 
Tuned by the stranger. 

No wild hero of romance. 
Born in dreamy poet's trance, 

Cradled in some mythic fane, 

Built up in a minstrel's brain 
On imagination's plan ! — 
No such hero was this man. 

He was flesh and blood and bone. 

Standing forth erect, alone, 

High above his fellows known !: — 
Hist'ry paints what he hath done, 
Maori valour's bravest son — 
Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha ! 

Quick of eye and lithe of limb. 
Warriors bent the knee to him ! — 

Bold of heart, strong of hand. 

Formed to rule and to command ! 
Suckled on a breast that gave 
Milk of heroes to the brave ! — 

Richest fruit of Toa's seed. 

Scion of heroic breed, 

Bom to conquer and to lead ! 

9M 



'THE HEAVENLY DAWN* 207 

Strongest branch of noblest tree 
From Hawaiki o'er the sea, 
Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha ! ' 

Thomas Bracken. 

After the signing of the treaty of Waitangi the Maoris 
lived in peace with the white people. The only quarrels 
were about land, but these were bitter indeed. 

In the north of South Island there lay a beautiful 
vaUey called Wairau. This vaUey Colonel Wakefield 
claimed ; but the chiefs, Rauparaha (the Wild Cabbage 
Leaf) and Rangihaeata (the Heavenly Dawn), to whom it 
belonged, declared that he had no right to it. * We have 
never sold it,' they said. * And we never will sell it. We 
want it for our sons and their sons for ever. If you want 
our land you wiU have to kill us first, or make us slaves.' 

But Colonel Wakefield paid no attention to what the 
chiefs said. He called Rauparaha an old savage, and 
vowed soon to put an end to his rule. This, too, in spite 
of the treaty of Waitangi, by which the white men had 
promised to protect the Maoris. 

Bent on having his own way, Wakefield sent men to 
mark out the valley of Wairau for farms. But Raupa- 
raha and his followers turned the men off. They were 
quite pohte and gentle about it, but quite firm. They did 
no harm to any of the white men, or to their belongings. 
They simply carried all their instruments and tools to 
their boats and left them there. Next the Maoris pulled 
up all the flags and stakes with which the land had been 
marked out, and burned them. They burned the huts 
which the white men had built, too. * I have the right to 
do this,' said Rauparaha, *for they were built of wood 
grown upon my own land. So they are mine.' 

Very angry were Wakefield's men when they returned 
to Nelson. There they went to the magistrate and told 



208 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

him of the treatment they had received. From him they 
got a letter or warrant to take Rauparaha and Rangi- 
haeata prisoner, for having burned their houses. 

Armed with this warrant they went back to Wairau, 
accompanied by the magistrate and some workmen. 
Workmen and gentlemen together, they numbered about 
fifty ; only about thirty-five of them, however, had guns. 
But even so they thought they would be a match for any 
number of savages. 

When they came to the mouth of the Wairau river, 
however, they were met by a Christian chief. He warned 
them to be careful what they did. But they would not 
listen, and marched on up the river, until they came to 
where Rauparaha was encamped on the other side. 

A few of the party boldly crossed the stream and 
asked for Rauparaha. 

' Here I am,' he said, rising, * what do you want ? ' 

* You must come with me, to Nelson,' said the magis- 
trate, * because you have burned a house, which you had 
no right to do.' 

* I will not go,' repUed the Wild Cabbage Leaf. 

* But you must,' said the magistrate. ' I have brought 
the Queen's book,' he added, showing him the warrant, 
'that says you must go.' 

Then Rangihaeata sprang up. He was tall and hand- 
some, his dark face was fierce with pride and anger. 
Behind him stood his wife Te Ronga, the daughter of 
Rauparaha. * Are we not in our own land ? ' he cried 
angrily. ' We do not go to England to interfere with you. 
Leave us alone.' 

And so the quarrel waxed, and angry words were 
bandied back and forth. A pair of handcuffs were 
brought out. Rauparaha put his hands under his cloak 
and cried again that he would not go to be a slave. 



«THE HEAVENLY DAWN' 209 

Then from among the white people a shot was fired. 
It struck Te Ronga where she stood beside her husband, 
and she fell d5dng to the ground. 

In a moment all was wild confrision. Volley after 
volley was fired. 'Farewell the light! Farewell the 
day 1 Welcome the darkness of death I ' cried Rauparaha. 

Before the wild charge of the Maoris the British fled. 
A few stood their ground, but at last, seeing resistance 
useless, they waved a handkerchief to show that they 
surrendered. 

Rauparaha then ordered his followers to cease fighting. 
But Rangihaeata was mad with sorrow and hatred. * Do 
not forget that they slew your daughter, Te Ronga I * he 
cried, and the unresisting Britons were slain where they 
stood. In all, twenty-two were killed : the rest, some of 
them sorely wounded, escaped. 

As soon as the heat of fight was over Rauparaha 
began to fear the white man's vengeance. He had few 
followers in South Island, so, taking to his canoes, he and 
they rowed over Cook's strait to North Island, where his 
tribe lived. 

The weather was stormy, and the waves dashed over 
the canoes as they sped along. But the Maoris were the 
vikings of the south. Little they cared for the dangers 
of the deep, for their hearts were hot within them, and 
as they bent to the oars they sang, their wild voices rising 
above the roar of the storm. 

Wet and weary, Rauparaha landed, and with the salt 
spray still on his hps, with the song of the storm wind 
still in his ear, he spoke to his countrymen. Such wild, 
stirring words he spoke that they were ready to rise and 
sweep the white man into the sea. 

* Now is the time to strike ! ' he cried. * Now we know 
what the smooth talk of the Pakeha is worth. You know 

o 



210 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

now what they mean in their hearts. You know now 
that you can wait for nothing but tyranny at their hands. 
Come, sweep them from the land that they would water 
with our blood.' And as Rauparaha spoke, he jangled 
the insulting handcuffs in the ears of his people. 

Fortunately there were white men in New Zealand 
who both knew and loved the Maoris. They soothed the 
hurt and angry souls of the savages, and the white men, 
who had begun the quarrel, were told that what they had 
done was * unlawful, unjust and unwise.' 

When the new governor. Captain Robert Fitzroy, 
arrived in New Zealand, he went to see Rauparaha and 
Rangihaeata, and heard from themselves the story of 
their wrongs. He hstened to aU that they had to say, 
then he told the Maoris that they had committed a great 
crime in killing men who had surrendered, but because 
the white men were wrong in the beginning he would not 
punish them for their deaths. In this way peace was 
made. But many of the white men were angry that the 
blood of their brothers had not been avenged. Some of 
them were so angry that they wrote home and asked that 
this new governor, who so favoured the Maoris, should be 
called home again. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE FLAGSTAFF WAR 

Besides the land troubles others now beset the governor. 
After New Zealand became a British colony many changes 
followed. Gradually the unseen power of Civilisation 
laid hold upon the islands. The chiefs began to feel 
uneasy. Something, they knew not what, was rising up 
around them. Somehow their power was vanishing. 
Old customs were slipping away. New and strange ones 
were coming into use. The people were made to pay 
taxes, a thing they found hard to understand. Ships 
coming to New Zealand ports had to pay custom duties 
before landing their goods. So tobacco and blankets 
grew dear, whale ships almost ceased to come to the Bay 
of Islands, where once they had crowded, and the trade 
of the town Kororarika was almost ruined. 

A vague fear and discontent spread among the people. 
Then there were not wanting base white people who 
pointed to the British flag, and told the dark chieftains 
that there lay the cause of aU their sorrows. And so the 
idea took root that if only that flag were removed the 
good old days would return again. 

Near Kororarika, on the Bay of Islands, there lived 
a young chief called Honi Heke. He had married the 
daughter of the great chief Hongi, and, like him, longed 
to be powerful among his people. He was restless and 
clever, and he hated the white people. He was no 

211 



212 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

ignorant savage, for the missionaries had taught him 
much. But although at one time he became a Christian, 
later he turned back to his heathen ways. 

Proud, wild, and discontented Heke was ready to 
fight any one. And when one day a woman of his tribe, 
who had married a white man, called him a pig, he 
gathered around him a hundred hot-headed young savages 
like himself, and marching into Kororarika, he plundered 
the white man's house, and carried off his wife. Then 
having danced a war-dance, he and his followers cut down 
the flagstaff, from which floated the Union Jack, and 
departed rejoicing. 

This was serious, and the governor resolved to put an 
end to Heke's wild tricks. But in all New Zealand there 
were not ninety soldiers. So he sent to Australia begging 
for help. Sir George Gipps, the Governor of New South 
Wales, at once sent a shipload of men and guns. But 
before they came, Waka Nene and some other friendly 
chiefs begged Fitzroy not to fight. 

* We will guard the flagstaff*,' they said. * We are old 
folks and faithful. We will make the young folks be 
faithful too.' 

Then at a great meeting twenty-five chiefs apologised 
for Heke's behaviour, but he himself did not come. 
Instead he wrote a letter which was only half an apology, 
for he said the flagstaff was his own. It had been brought, 
he said, from the forest by his own people, and had been 
meant, not for the British flag, but for the flag of New 
Zealand. 

However, Fitzroy accepted the apology such as it was. 
The chiefs, in token of their submission, laid their guns 
at his feet. He gave them back again making a long 
speech, in which he warned the Maoris not to believe or 
be led astray by the tales of wicked white men. 



THE FLAGSTAFF WAR 218 

After this, Governor Fitzroy took away the custom 
duties and made Kororarika a free port once more. He 
hoped in this way to bring wealth and trade to the town 
again, and make the people more contented. And when 
they heard the news, the white settlers were so glad that 
they used up all the candles in the town to make an 
illumination to show their joy. So peace was once more 
made. The soldiers were sent away, a new flagstaff was 
set up, and again the Union Jack floated out on the 
breeze. 

But before many months had gone Heke once more 
gathered his men, and the flagstaff^ was cut down a second 
time. Heke hated it as the sign that the Maoris had no 
more power in the land. * God made this land for us and 
for our children I ' he cried. * Are we the only people that 
God has made without a land to live upon ? ' 

Again Governor Fitzroy sent to Sydney for help. 
He also offered a reward of £100 to any one who would 
bring Heke prisoner to him. 

This made Heke's followers very angry. ' Is Heke a 
pig,' they asked, * that he should be bought and sold ? ' 
And he in his turn offered £100 for the governor's head. 

Again two hundred soldiers came from New South 
Wales. Again the flagstaff* was set up. And this time 
it was hooped and barred with iron, and a blockhouse was 
built near in which a guard was stationed. 

All this made the Maoris more sure than ever that 
the flagstaff* was really the cause of their troubles. * See,' 
they said, * the flagstaff* does mean power, or why should 
the Pakehas set it up again and guard it so carefully I ' 

All the wild and discontented yoimg men now 
gathered to Heke, who had sworn the downfall of the 
flagstaff*, and of the power of which it was the sign. 

It was in vain that the missionaries, who had always 



214 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

been peacemakers, tried to make peace now. Printed 
copies of the Waitangi treaty were sent to the Maori 
rebels. But Heke would neither listen nor give in. * It 
is all soap,' he said, * very smooth and oily, but treachery 
is hidden at the bottom of it' One Sunday morning a 
missionary went to his camp to preach. His text was, 
* Whence come wars and fightings.' Heke Ustened to it 
quietly, then he said, * Go, speak that sermon to the 
British, they need it more than we.' 

Days went on, and still the Union Jack floated from 
the hiU above the town. Still Heke and his men lay 
encamped near, breathing defiance. The people of 
Kororarika, well knowing that Heke never broke his 
word, began to driU, and prepared to give him a hot 
welcome when he came. But in the end he took them 
unawares. One morning in March, before the sun was 
up, two hundred men came creeping, creeping up the 
hill. The guard was taken by surprise. Before the 
officer in charge knew what was happening, the enemy 
were in possession of the blockhouse, and the soldiers 
were being driven downhill. 

Then the axes went to work, and for the third time 
the flagstaff feU. 

The townspeople armed themselves, and with the 
soldiers and marines from the warship which lay in the 
bay, defended themselves right bravely. But the Maoris 
had the best position on the flagstaff" hill, and after hours 
of fighting, men, women, and children fled to the ship, 
leaving their town to the mercy of the foe. 

Great was the joy of the savages when they saw the 
white folk go. They danced, and sang, and made grand 
speeches. Then dashing upon the town they began to 
plunder it. 

As the fighting was now stopped, many of the people 



THE FLAGSTAFF WAR 215 

ventured back again in the hope of saving some of their 
goods. The Maoris were now perfectly good natured, 
and did not try to hurt them. Then might be seen the 
strange sight of Maori and white man carrying off goods 
from the same house, the one trying to save his own, 
the other taking whatever he had a mind to take. But 
before long fire broke out. It raged among the wooden 
buildings, and Kororarika was soon little more than a 
blackened ruin. 

Homeless and penniless, many of them having nothing 
left to them but the clothes they wore, the settlers fled to 
Auckland. Here something like a panic seized hold of 
the people. Many of them sold their farms for almost 
nothing and fled from the land in terror. 

But the Maoris followed their victory by no cannibal 
feast. Instead they allowed the missionaries to bury the 
dead. They even helped some women and children who 
had been left behind to join their friends. Indeed through 
all the war the British could not but admire the courteous, 
generous behaviour of their savage foes. 



CHAPTER VII 

THE WARPATH 

' When will your valour begin to rage ? 
When will your valour be strong ? 
Ah ! when the tide murmurs. 
Ah ! when the tide roars. 
Bid farewell to your children. 
For what more can you do ? 
You see how the braves are coming amain. 
Like the lofty exulting peaks of the hills, 
They yield, they yield ! O Fame ! ' 

Maori War-Song. 

Here's fame spread far and wide. He boasted of the 
defeat of the white men, and threatened that when the 
moon was full he would attack Auckland and sweep it 
from the earth, as he had swept Kororarika. All the 
colony was shaken with fear. Everywhere towns were 
fortified. Everywhere settlers drilled, and practised, and 
made ready for war. 

The governor saw that he must now fight in good 
earnest. For only after Heke was subdued could there 
be peace. So again he sent to AustraHa for soldiers. 
Meanwhile Waka Nene and the friendly Maoris helped 
the British, and took up arms against their lawless 
countrymen. 

After the sack of Kororarika, Heke and his warriors 
marched away to a strong, native fortress or * pah ' called 
Okaihau. There Waka Nene followed him, and there he 
was joined later by a British force under Colonel Hume. 

21S 



THE WARPATH 217 

When the British soldiers arrived they were very 
much astonished at sight of their allies. Was it possible, 
they asked, that they were expected to fight side by side 
with a rabble of half-naked savages ? Their astonishment 
became still greater when the Maoris, in their honour, 
danced a war-dance, which Waka Nene's wife led, and in 
which Waka Nene himself joined, dressed in the uniform 
of a British officer. 

It was May when the troops landed. But May in 
New Zealand is like November at home. The weather 
was cold and wet. For four days the men marched 
through almost pathless forest, under torrents of rain. 
The way was so bad that no baggage-wagons could pass 
along it. So the men had neither tents nor proper food. 
Each man carried his own biscuits and slept upon the 
damp ground. Thus wearied and hungry, they arrived 
before Heke's pah. 

Between a large lake and a wooded hill lay the fortress. 
It was built of two rows of tree-trunks twelve feet high, 
and so closely set together that only the barrel of a gun 
could pass between. The outer fence was covered with 
flax, and between the two was a deep ditch. Without 
cannon it was impossible to take such a fort, and the 
British had only a rocket-tube. 

The British began their attack by firing their rockets. 
The first struck away a strong post, burst inside the pah, 
and frightened the defenders so much that some of them 
were ready to flee. But no one being hurt they took 
courage again. Then as rocket after rocket fell wide of 
the mark, they watched them with surprise and scorn. 
* What prize can be won by such a gun ? ' they sneered, 
and they were no longer afraid. 

Presently they gained so much courage that they 
came out of their pah to fight. But the British soldiers 



218 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

charged them with fixed bayonets and drove them back 
again. 

So for many hours the fight lasted, the Maoris firing 
in safety from behind their strong paUsade, against which 
the British vainly wasted their shot. Lead whistled 
through the air in all directions, the whole country seemed 
on fire, * and brave men worked their work.' 

At length the fighting ceased and both sides retired 
to rest. As the British soldiers sat round their camp- 
fires they heard a strange sound coming from the Maori 
pah, the sound of singing. Plaintive and wailing it rose 
and fell in the still air. It was the Maoris singing their 
evening hymn. * Fight and pray,' had said their priests. 
* Touch not the spoils of the slain, eat not of human flesh 
lest the God of the missionaries should be angry. And 
be careful not to offend the Maori gods. It is good to 
have more than one God to trust to. Be brave, be 
strong, be patient.' So ignorant and simple, trusting in 
they knew not what, the Maoris now sang a hymn to the 
God of the missionaries. 

Next day, seeing how hopeless it was to try to take 
the fort without cannon, Hume marched his soldiers 
away. 

The people in Auckland had been eagerly awaiting the 
news that Heke was captured. And when instead of 
that news the worn-out, haggard troops reached the town, 
they were struck with dismay. Was it possible that two 
hundred and fifty savages had been more than a match 
for four hundred weU-trained British soldiers ? It was the 
second time that the Maoris had beaten ' the wearers of 
red garments,' and now the British began to tremble for 
their hold on the land. 

Meanwhile Heke swaggered about in the glory of 
victory. He wrote letters to the governor which were 



THE WARPATH 219 

about peace indeed, but which breathed war in every 
line. 

More soldiers, however, now arrived from Austraha 
under Colonel Despard. They brought with them four 
cannon, and the colonists began to feel more cheerful. 

The last fight had taught Heke that in the open his 
soldiers could not stand against British soldiers. He had 
learned that his safety was in the strength of his fortresses. 
So now he retired to a pah called Oheawai, which was far 
stronger than Okaihau. 

Here the British resolved to attack him. But it was 
with great difficulty that the cannon were brought along 
the rugged path through the forest to Heke's camp, for 
they were ship's guns, and the wheels were only fifteen 
inches high. Many a time they stuck fast in the marshy 
forest, but the friendly Maoris harnessed themselves to 
the carriages, and at length all difficulties were passed, 
and in the dusk of a winter's evening the whole army 
encamped before Heke's fort. 

That night there was Httle sleep in either camp. 
Through the night as they lay awake on the ground, the 
British soldiers heard the Maoris in their pah praying, 
singing, and talking. 

In the morning the fight began. The great cannon- 
balls crashed and crashed against the huge, wooden walls 
without doing much damage. And when all the heavy 
ammunition was done only a small breach had been made. 
But small though it was. Colonel Despard, against the 
advice of his officers and of the friendly Maoris, ordered a 
party to storm it. 

Bravely the soldiers obeyed his orders. Shouting 
their war-cry, they charged the breach. Bravely they 
fought and fell. The breach was narrow. It was 
defended by hundreds of weU-armed Maoris. Fighting 



220 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

valiantly, the British passed the outer fence; but the 
inner fence was still unbroken. From it a hail of bullets 
blazed upon the gallant stormers, and man after man went 
down. 

After ten minutes of awful slaughter and confusion 
the British fell back, leaving half their number dead upon 
the ground. 

Then followed a night of horror. The dead and dying 
lay untended round the pah. Through the still night air 
the groans of the wounded were heard, mingled with the 
songs of triumph simg by the exulting savages. 

* O Youth of sinewy force, 
O man of martial strength, 
Behold the sign of power ! 
In my hand I hold the scalp 
Of the Kawau Tatakaha.' 

Often, too, through the night the watch-cry of the 
pah was heard. *Come on! Come on! soldiers for 
revenge. Come on I Stiff lie your dead by the fence of 
my pah. Come on, come on 1 ' 

Round their camp-fires the British sat wakeful, watch- 
ful, downcast, eating their hearts out in anger and despair. 

For two days there was little fighting. The Maoris 
hung out a flag of truce and told the British they might 
bury their dead. Then more ammunition having arrived 
for the great guns, the bombardment again began. Soon 
the breach already made became much larger, and a 
second assault was planned. 

When morning dawned the pah was to be taken. But 
during the night the Maoris, seeing they could hold their 
fortress no longer, slipped quietly away to the forest, 
leaving their empty pah to the British. So quietly did 
they go that the British knew nothing about it until they 




SHOUTING THEIR WAR-CRT, THE BRITISH CHARGED THE BREACH 



THE WARPATH 221 

were told by a Mend that the Maoris were already ten 
miles away. 

It was hard to fight such a slippery foe. It was useless 
to try to follow them into the forest wilds, so Colonel 
Despard marched his men away to Kororarika to rest. 
And the governor, hoping that now Heke might be per- 
suaded to make peace, told him not to fight any more for 
the present. 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE STORMING OF THE BAT'S NEST 

Heke was yet far from making peace. He and his 
friends in their new fastness at Ikorangi were dancing 
the war-dance, and singing songs of exultation — 

* An attack ! an attack ! E ha !j 
A battle ! a battle ! E ha ! 
A fight on the banks of the river. 
It is completely swept and emptied. 
O you would fight, you would fight. 
You had better stayed at home in Europe 
Than have suffered a repulse from Whareahau. 
He has driven you back to your God. 
You may cast your book behind. 
And leave your religion on the ground. 
An attack ! an attack ! E ha ! 
A battle ! a battle ! E ha ! ' 

Heke's fame grew greater and greater, for had he not 
twice defeated * the wearers of red garments.' Peace was 
far from his thoughts, and Governor Fitzroy was about 
to attack him again, when he was recalled. The British 
Government were not pleased at the way in which the 
colony was drifting into war, and Captain George Grey 
was sent to take Fitzroy 's place. 

Captain Grey made up his mind to have no more 
fighting if that were possible. He sent messengers to the 
rebel chiefs, saying that if they would yield before a 
certain date, they would be pardoned, and that if they 

222 



THE STORMING OF THE BAT'S NEST 223 

had been in any way wronged, they should have 
justice. 

But Heke would not yield, and once more the war 
began. This time the Maori forces were divided. Heke 
was at Ikorangi, and his friend Kawiti at Ruapekapeka, the 
Bat's Nest. It was upon the Bat's Nest that the attack 
was made. It was a pah Hke Oheawai and Okaihau, but 
far stronger than either. For between the huge wooden 
fences there was a great mud waU against which cannon 
baUs were of little use. 

The British force was now much stronger than before. 
They had more and heavier guns, but still for days the 
bombardment went on with little result. Then one day 
Heke arrived to join his friends, bringing many more 
warriors with him. The next day being Sunday, the 
Maoris thought there would be no fighting, for the mis- 
sionaries had taught them to keep it as a day of rest. So 
they all gathered in the outworks for prayer, leaving the 
fort almost unguarded. 

The British, however, had no thought of keeping 
Sunday. A friendly Maori, seeing how quiet it was 
within the pah, crept close up to the walls. Finding 
them unguarded, he made signs to the British. Quickly 
they charged, and before the Maoris realised what was 
happening, the red-coats had possession of the fort. 

Now the very strength of the pah was turned against 
the Maoris. Secure behind the massive ramparts, the 
British fired upon the foe. A fierce fight followed. But 
to dislodge the British from their strong position was im- 
possible, and at last the Maoris fled to the woods. 

Tired of the fight, the followers of Heke and Kawiti 
now scattered and fled. They had little food left ; starva- 
tion and death stared them in the face. 

* Can shadows carry muskets ? ' they said. And so the 



224 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

army melted away. In a few days Heke and Kawiti 
found themselves almost alone. The end had come. At 
last the proud chieftains sued for peace. 

* Friend Governor, let peace be made between you 
and me,' wrote Kawiti. * I have had enough of your 
cannon-balls, therefore I say let us make peace. Will you 
not? Yes. This is the end of my war against you. 
Friend Governor, I, Kawiti and Heke, do consent to this 
good message. It is finished.' 

Now that the rebel chiefs were in his power. Sir 
George was merciful. He pardoned aU who had taken 
part in the rebellion, and allowed them to remain in pos- 
session of their lands. But Heke's proud, restless spirit 
could not bear the bonds of peace. He pined away, and 
died at the age of forty-two. As for his old friend 
Kawiti, he lived to the age of eighty, and then died of 
measles, a new disease brought into the country by the 
white men. 

There were many who thought that Governor Grey 
had been too gentle with Heke and Kawiti and the other 
rebels. Many thought that they ought to have been 
punished. But time showed that Sir George was right, 
for the peace was lasting, and left no bitterness behind. 
Not while Heke or Kawiti lived, however, was the flag- 
staff at Kororarika put up again. But in 1857 Kawiti's 
son led four hundred of his people to the spot, and in 
token of friendship they raised a new flagstaff. They 
called it Whakakotahitanga, which means * being in 
union,' and to this day the Union Jack floats from it. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE TAMING OF THE WILD CABBAGE LEAF 

While the north was at length settling down to peace, 
the tribes in the south were growing restless. Their 
leaders were, as before, Rauparaha the proud *Wild 
Cabbage Leaf,' and Rangihaeata ' The Heavenly Dawn.' 
But while the Heavenly Dawn openly showed that he 
was an enemy, the Wild Cabbage Leaf pretended to be 
a friend to the British. 

Land again was the beginning of the quarrel. About 
nine miles from Wellington was the fertile Hutt Valley. 
This Colonel Wakefield thought he had bought. The 
chiefs said it was still theirs, and they tried to prevent 
settlers taking possession of it, and soon the land was 
once more filled with fighting and murder. 

So, having made peace in the north, Governor Grey 
sailed to Wellington, taking with him all the soldiers he 
could gather. 

Soon he discovered that although Rauparaha made 
great show of friendship, he was really egging Rangihaeata 
on. In fact, while Rangihaeata was the fighter, Rauparaha 
was the thinker. So it was resolved to seize him and stop 
his mischief. 

One night a company of a hundred and fifty men 
silently surrounded the chiefs house. All was quiet. 
Swiftly and stealthily the men stole into Rauparaha's 
room, and, while he was stiU sleeping, seized him. Not 

p 



226 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

a blow was struck, not a shot was fired. The wily old 
chief was taken prisoner without a drop of blood being 
shed. But it was not done without a struggle, for 
Rauparaha bit and kicked fiercely, and his captors carried 
the marks of his teeth and nails for many a day. 

Great was the grief of the Heavenly Dawn when he 
heard of the capture of his father-in-law. In his grief 
he made a lament, mourning for Rauparaha as for a 
dead man. 

' Raha ! my chief, my. friend, 
Thy lonely journey wend ; 

Stand with thy wrongs before the God of Battles* face : 
Bid him thy woes requite. 

Ah me ! Te Raukawa's foul desertion and disgrace. 
Ah me ! the English ruler's might. 

Raha ! my chief of chiefs, 

Ascend with all thy griefs 

Up to the Lord of Peace ; there stand before his face : 

Let him thy fate requite. 

Ah me ! Te Toa's sad defection and disgrace. 

Ah me ! the English ruler's might.' 

But Rangihaeata did more than idly lament. Gather- 
ing his men, he prepared to avenge the capture of his 
chief. He wrote, too, to the northern tribes, stirring them 
to battle. 'Friends and children, come and avenge the 
wrongs of Te Rauparaha, because Te Rauparaha is the 
eye of the faith of all men. Make ye haste hither in the 
days of December.' 

But the northern chiefs were slow to move. They 
told the Heavenly Dawn that it was folly to try to kill 
the British or drive them from the land. 'How could 
you dry up the sea ? ' they asked. 

But although few joined him, Rangihaeata fought. 
Although soldiers, sailors, settlers, all were against him, 



TAMING OF THE WILD CABBAGE LEAF 227 

he would not give in. Defeated and hunted he took 
refuge, as he himself said, * in the fastnesses and hoUows 
of the country, as a crab Ues concealed in the depths and 
hollows of the rocks.' 

At length, left almost without a follower, Rangi- 
haeata made peace. But his proud spirit never quite gave 
in. * I am not tired of war,' he told Sir George Grey, 
* but the spirit of the times is for peace. Now, men, like 
women, use their tongues as weapons. Do not suppose, 
O Governor, that you have conquered me I No. It was 
my own relations and friends. It was by them I was 
overcome.' 

When Rauparaha had been seized he had been sent 
to Auckland. There, although he was a prisoner, he was 
allowed to go about freely. Now, when peace was come 
again, he was permitted to go home. But the fierce old 
chief did not live long to enjoy his liberty. Eighteen 
months later he died. 

From first to last, in north and south, the war had 
lasted for five years. It had cost a miUion of money. 

Sir George now had time to think of ruling the land. 
He tried to govern well and be just to the Maoris. He 
protected them as much as he could from land-grabbers, 
and kept the treaty of Waitangi. He rewarded those 
who had helped him, and in every way treated them fairly. 

One good thing which Sir George did was to make 
good roads throughout the islands. Even while the war 
was going on, parties of soldiers and Maoris might be seen 
peacefully working side by side with pick and spade. 
The Maoris were good workmen, and the British soon 
grew friendly with them. They taught the Maoris 
English, and the Maoris taught them their language. 
And when the road was finished they parted like old 
friends. 



228 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Then Governor Grey built schools and had the Maori 
children taught to speak English, and did many other 
things for their happiness. So when in 1853 another 
governor was appointed, the Maoris were very sorrowful. 
They grieved for Sir George as for a lost father, and 
sang mournful songs of farewell. 

' Oh then ! 
Pause for one moment there, 
Cast back one glance on me, 
Thus to receive one fond, 
One last, fond look. 
Thy love came first, not mine ; 
Thou didst first behold 
With favour and regard 
The meanest of our race ! 

Thence is it 
The heart o'erflows ; the eye 
Bedewed with tears doth anxiously desire 
To catch one fond, one parting glance, 
Ere thou art lost to sight for ever, 
Alas ! for ever ! 

When Sir George Grey came home, too, he was 
welcomed and thanked. And when at Oxford he re- 
ceived a degree in honour of his work in New Zealand, 
the students gave three cheers for the *King of the 
Cannibal Islands.' 



CHAPTER X 

THE KING OF THE MAORIS 

The colony of New Zealand grew rapidly greater and 
stronger. In 1847 Dunedin was founded by a party of 
Scottish settlers sent out by the Free Church of Scotland. 
In 1850 Canterbury was founded by the Church of 
England. These towns would have grown faster than 
they did, had not gold been discovered in Australia. For 
many then who had come from home, meaning to settle 
in New Zealand, rushed away to AustraHa and the gold 
diggings. 

But things soon righted themselves, for it was not long 
before the fame of the grassy plains of New Zealand 
spread to Australia. Farmers there, hearing of these 
plains where not even a tree had to be cut down to clear 
the land, sailed over from AustraHa, bringing flocks with 
them. Soon the Canterbury pastures became as famous 
the world over as those of Australia. And since ways of 
keeping meat by freezing it have been found out, much of 
the mutton used in Great Britain is brought from New 
Zealand. 

In 1852 New Zealand became a self-governing colony, 
and in 1854 the first New Zealand Parliament was held. 

AU seemed prosperous and well with the colony when 
once more land troubles began. 

Some of the Maori chiefs had always been against 
selling land to the British. ' The money the white man 

22l» 



230 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

gives is soon spent,' they said. * The land is gone from 
us for ever, and we have nothing left.' Yet, year by 
year they saw the white people fence in more and more 
land for farms. So now many of these tribes banded 
themselves together into a Land League. The members 
of this league vowed to sell no more land to the white 
people. 

About this same time too, some of the tribes made 
up their minds to choose a king. In choosing this king 
they had no thought of rebelling against the Queen. 
But they saw that although the governor ruled the white 
men and the Maoris too, when they quarrelled with the 
white men, they let them fight amongst themselves as 
much as they liked. So they desired a king who should 
rule the Maoris as the Queen far away ruled her people. 
Within the large tract of land which they had vowed 
never to sell, the Maori king should rule alone. Within 
this land no road should be made — for all roads led to 
slavery. 

There was much talk and argument before a king 
was chosen. For all did not agree that a king would be 
good to have. But at last a brave old warrior called Te 
Whero-Whero Potatau was elected. A standard, too, 
was chosen and raised. It was a white flag with a red 
border, bearing two red crosses, and the words ' Potatau, 
King of New Zealand.' 

But many were against the flag, as they had been 
against the king. * I am content with the flag of Britain,' 
said one old warrior. * It is seen all over the world. It 
belongs to me. I get some of its honour. What honour 
can I get from your flag ? It is as a fountain without 
water.' 

* Let the flag stand,' said another, * but wash out the 
writing upon it. As for me I am a subject of the Queen.' 



THE KING OF THE MAORIS 231 

But in spite of aU objections the flag was unfurled, 
the king was chosen. 

Potatau was now treated with royal honours. Salutes 
were fired, his subjects stood bareheaded before him, and 
backed out of his presence, while he, wrapped in an old 
blanket, sat upon a mat and smoked his pipe. 

And sometimes while his counsellors talked and made 
laws, he slept peacefully, knowing not what was done. 

Governor Browne paid little attention to the * King 
movement ' as it was called. If he had, he might have 
turned it to good. As it was, it turned to evil. 

Soon a quarrel arose which led to fighting. A Maori 
offered to sell to the governor some land at Waitara, not 
far from New Plymouth. The governor bought it, but 
Te Kangitake, the chief in whose country the land was, 
being among those who had joined the Land League, 
forbade the sale. ' I will not give it up I ' he cried ; * I 
will not, I will not, I will not 1 I have spoken.' 

The Maori land laws were very difficult for a white 
man to follow. The chiefs often had a kind of feudal 
right over the land, and so, although it did not really 
belong to Te Kangitake, he had a right to forbid the 
sale. 'These lands wiU not be given by us into your 
hands,' he wrote to Governor Browne, * lest we become 
like the birds of the sea which are resting upon a rock. 
When the tide flows the rock is covered by the sea. The 
birds fly away because there is no resting-place for them. 
I will not give you the land.' 

But the governor decided that Te Kangitake had no 
right to hinder the selling of the land. So he sent men 
to mark it out for farms. But the men were met by all 
the oldest and ugliest women in the land, who hugged 
and kissed them till they were obliged to run away. 

Then the governor sent soldiers, and seeing that 



232 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

peaceful means were no longer of use, the whole tribe rose 
in arms. Rangitake built a pah upon the land, pulled up 
the governor's stakes and flags and burned them, and 
war began. 

Once more the governor sent to Australia for 
soldiers. Once more the land was filled with blood and 
war. 

From pah to pah the Maoris flitted as their custom 
was. Settlers in terror fled from their farms, leaving 
their homes, their flocks and herds, to the mercy of the 
Maoris. Some fled from the country altogether. 

At first this quarrel had nothing to do with the King 
movement. Indeed Te Rangitake had refused to join 
that. But now the king tribes came to help their 
fellow countrymen. The king himself was old and 
feeble, so the men were led by a young and warlike chief 
called Te Waharoa. It was he, indeed, who had been 
one of the principal upholders of the king, and he was 
called the king-maker. 

In the midst of aU the trouble the king died, and his 
son Tawhiao was chosen in his stead. But he had not 
the fame of his father, and had little power among the 
natives. 

For many months the war went on, but at length, in 
May 1861, peace was made, the governor promising to 
look into Te Rangitake's claims once more. 



CHAPTER XI 

TO THE SOUND OF THE WAR-SONG 

The peace was a mere truce. Things seemed drifting 
again to war when the government at home recalled 
Browne, and sent back Sir George Grey, who had already- 
proved so good a ruler. 

Sir George Grey, when he came, decided that the 
land at Waitara had been unjustly taken, and must be 
given back. But it was now too late. Misunder- 
standings and blunders grew worse and worse, and the 
second Maori war broke out. From India and from 
Australia, troops came to help the settlers, while the 
Maori tribes gathered to the sound of an old war-song. 

Soon the fight began. The Maoris fought well and 
fiercely. It was the story of Oheawai and of the Bat's 
Nest over again. In a night the Maoris would build a 
fort strong enough to keep the British for a month at 
bay. 

For days they would defend it, and when it seemed 
about to be taken would forsake it and flee to another as 
strong or stronger. They were always far outnumbered 
by the white men. Yet never once did the white men 
gain a great victory. 

It seemed of little use to capture or destroy a pah, 
for the Maoris fled to another a few miles off, where the 
attack had to be begun afresh. The whole country 
seemed dotted with strong fortresses. 



234 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

But at length at Rangiriri, a strong fort surrounded 
by a river and by swamps, many of the Maoris were 
captured. From dawn to dark on a wintry July day the 
thunder of war lasted. Shot and shell were poured upon 
the fort from every side. Again and again the British 
soldiers dashed at the walls, only to be thrown back again 
like waves broken upon a rock. But when night fell, the 
fort was completely surrounded. And when day dawned 
the Maoris hung out a flag and surrendered. 

Governor Grey would have been glad now to make 
peace. But his advisers would not listen. So still the 
war went on. 

At Orakau, one of the bravest defences of the war 
took place. Here two or three hundred badly-armed, 
half-starving Maori men and women bid defiance to 
more than fifteen thousand British soldiers. 

After trying in vain to storm the fort, the British 
leader resolved to mine it and blow it up. But he knew 
that both women and children were within the pah. He 
wished to save them, so he sent a messenger with a flag 
of truce, asking them to surrender. 

* We will fight to the end, for ever and ever,' was the 
reply. 

* Then send out the women and the children,' said the 
messenger. 

' Nay, the women and children, too, will fight,' they 
cried. 

So, worn with fight and watching, weary, hungry and 
thirsty, the Maoris still fought on. They had no food, 
they had no water, their shot was almost done. Yet 
they would not yield. 

Then in their need they turned to the Christian God. 
He would help them. And through the crash and roar 
of cannon, the plaintive notes of a hymn arose. They 



TO THE SOUND OF THE WAK SONG 235 

looked to heaven, but from the once clear sky now 
darkened with the heavy clouds of war, no help came. 

Then fiercer, wilder thoughts laid hold of the Maoris. 
The Christian God was the God of deceivers, they cried. 
He was the God of those who sought to rob them of 
their land. They would have no more of Him. They 
would turn again for help to their ancient god of War. 
Then fierce and loud above the clangour rose the sounds 
of a ' Karakia,' a chant of curses, a chant long unheard in 
Maori land. 

Now the mines began to burst all around them. In 
noise and flame their pah was shattered. The earth shook 
with death. No longer could they hold the fortress. 

Then, still chanting their wild and terrible song, under 
the eyes of the British, they marched calmly and steadily 
out of their fort. ' As cool and steady as if going to 
church,' said one who saw. 

For some minutes all watched in wonder. No one 
knew what was happening. Then, ' They are escaping ! 
they are escaping 1 ' came the cry, and the chase began. 

For six long miles the way was red with blood, and 
strewn with dead. Yet steadily onward the Maoris 
pressed, now pausing to fire, now to lift a wounded 
comrade, untU at last a broken remnant reached the wild 
refuge of the hills, where no white man could follow. 

The war was nearly over. But at a place called the 
Gate Pah, the Maoris once more beat back the British 
troops, who fled, leaving ten officers and twenty-five 
men dead upon the field. 

But again, in the darkness of the night, the Maoris 
slipped away. How they went no man knew, for the 
pah was surrounded by British troops. Only in the 
morning it was found that the pah was empty. And 
yet they had gone in no wild haste, for beside each 



286 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

wounded British soldier was a cup of water, placed there 
by the Maoris before they fled. 

Only a few miles off the Maoris again made a stand. 
But here they were attacked before they had time to 
build a pah. After a desperate fight they fled. 

Among the dead lay their leader. On his dead body 
was found the order for the day. It began with a prayer, 
and ended with the words, * If thine enemy hunger, feed 
him ; if he thirst, give him drink.' 

* Te Waru was there with the East Coast braves. 
And the chiefs famed in song and story. 
Met on the spot to resist the spoilers, 
Who had taken the land from the Maori 
In the name of the Queen of the far land. 
Only three hundred warriors were there 
Entrenched within the weak unfinished pah. 
Only three hundred brave men and women 
To meet the Pakeha who surrounded 
The sod-built fortress, with his well-drilled troops, 
Nearly two thousand hardy Britons. 

Three hundred lion-hearted warriors 
Assembled with Rewi to fan the flame 
Of deadly hatred to the Pakeha 
Into a vengeful blaze at Orakau, 
Chanting the deeds of their ancestors. 
They cried aloud, " Me mate te gangatu. 
Me mate mo te whenua ! " which means, 
" The warrior's death is to die for the land." 



Then Major Mair, with flag of truce, before the Maoris stood, 

And said, *' O friends, be warned in time, we do not seek your blood. 

Surrender, and your lives are safe." Then, through the whole redoubt. 

The swarthy rebels answered, with a fierce, defiant shout, 

*' Ka whawkia tonu ! Ake ! ake ! ake ! " ^ 

* We will fight to the death for ever and ever and ever. 



TO THE SOUND OF THE WAR-SONG 287 

Again spake gallant Mair, " O friendSj you wish for blood and strife^ 
With blind and stubborn bravery, preferring death to life ; 
But send your women and your children forth, they shall be free." 
They answered back, " Our women brave will fight as well as we." 

Again the fiery-throated cannon roared aloud for blood. 
Again the hungry eagle swooped and shrieked aloud for food ; 
Again wild spirits soaring, saw their shattered shells beneath 
In pools of gore, and still was heard defiance to the death. 

Now, now the brave defenders in a solid body break 
Right through the sod-built barricade, o'er palisade and stake. 
And, leaping o'er the trenches, 'mid a storm of shot and shell, 
They rushed to liberty or death, still shouting as they fell. 

With wild, untutored chivalry, the rebels scorned disgrace. 

Oh, never in the annals of the most heroic race 

Was bravery recorded more noble or more high. 

Than that displayed at Orakau in Rewi's fierce reply — 

Ka whawkia tonu ! Ake ! ake ! ake ! ' 

Thomas Bracken^ 



CHAPTER XII 

THE HAU HAUS AND TE KOOTI 

Now at last the war seemed ended. Many chiefs yielded, 
giving up their lands in token of submission. Sir George 
Grey kept one quarter of them as punishment for rebellion. 
The rest he returned. 

But meanwhile new trouble had arisen. A wicked 
and wily native priest had begun to preach a new rehgion 
to the people. This new rehgion was called Hau Hau, 
because this priest told the people, that if they went into 
battle shouting Hau Hau, the angel Gabriel would pro- 
tect them, and they would overcome all their enemies. 
He also said that the rehgion of the white people was a 
religion of hes, and that he had been told in a vision that 
in the year 1864 aU the white people would be swept out 
of New Zealand. 

Although few of the great chiefs followed the Hau 
Haus, many of the common people did. They did many 
wild and horrible deeds. Now here, now there, fighting 
broke out, and so although peace was proclaimed, the 
land was not really at rest. 

The Hau Haus were not gallant and generous foes as 
the Maoris usually were. They were treacherous and 
cruel, and their own countrymen often waged war against 
them. They were driven about from place to place. 
Many were killed, and many were taken prisoner and sent 
to the Chatham Islands, which the government had begun 
to use as a sort of prison-house. 



THE HAU HAUS AND TE KOOTI 23d 

Among the friendly Maoris who helped the British 
was a young chief called Te Kooti. Now suddenly he 
was accused of being a traitor. He was seized, and 
without trial of any kind he was shipped off to the 
Chatham Islands. There was never any good reason for 
beheving Te Kooti to be false. When Sir George Grey 
seized Te Rauparaha because he thought he was false, 
what followed proved that he was right. Only evil 
followed from the seizing of Te Kooti. 

Upon the Chatham Islands there were about three 
hundred Maori prisoners, most of them Hau Haus. For 
two years they behaved very well, for they had been told 
that if they were good they would then be set free and 
allowed to return home. But the two years came to an 
end, there was no sign of freedom, and they began to 
grow restless. 

They longed to escape, and one day a ship called the 
Rifleman came to the islands with a cargo of food. Here 
they saw their chance. Te Kooti was their leader, and 
quickly he made his plans. Two boatloads of Maoris 
rowed out to the ship. They swarmed on deck, and 
almost before any one knew what was happening, the ship 
was in their hands. All the guards were gagged and 
bound, only one man being killed in the struggle. 

Then Te Kooti took command. He gathered the 
crew together and ordered them to steer for New Zealand. 
If they refused, he threatened to shoot them all. 

And so the Rifleman sailed away, carrying every 
prisoner and all the guns and ammunition to be found on 
the islands. 

Beside the helmsman stood a Maori armed with gun 
and sword. Night and day Maori sentries paced the deck. 
The crew had no choice but to obey their new masters. 
And so they sailed until they reached Poverty Bay. 



240 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Here the Maoris landed, took possession of all the 
cargo, and told the crew of the Rifleman that they might 
now go where they hked, as they had no further use for 
them. 

Soon the news of the escape of the Chatham Island 
prisoners, and of their landing at Poverty Bay reached 
Wellington, and a force set out to retake the runaways. 

But Te Kooti was a warrior. He had plenty of guns 
and ammunition, and again and again the British troops feU 
back before him. From his forest fastnesses Te Kooti 
flung defiance at the foe. But in the wild hiUs where he 
had taken refuge there was Httle food to be had. Soon 
the provisions taken from the Rifleman were all done. 
Te Kooti and his men were starving. 

Then aU the savage awoke in them, and they swept 
like hungry wolves down upon the peaceful settlers of 
Poverty Bay, and slaughtered them all unresisting in their 
beds. Men, women, and children, none were spared. 
With fire and sword they blotted out the settlement, 
scarce a soul escaping to teU the tale. 

A thrill of horror ran through the country when the 
news was spread. Quickly a force was gathered and sent 
against the daring chieftain. But he, safe in a fastness 
perched upon a rock two thousand feet high, with rugged 
chfFs and wild gorges all around, defied every attempt 
to take him. 

At length, however, with the help of a native chief 
caUed Ropata, who had won great renown as a soldier, the 
pah was one night surrounded. 

The besiegers made sure that the next day they would 
seize their prey. But during the night Te Kooti and his 
band escaped, sliding down the almost sheer precipice 
and fleeing to the wilds. 

Then in the morning, when it was found that the pah 



THE HAU HAUS AND TE KOOTI 241 

was empty, the chase began and was pitilessly pursued. 
Many of the Hau Haus were killed, many more were 
taken prisoner, and they, as soon as they were led before 
their conquerors, were mercilessly shot, and their bodies 
throAvn over the steep cliffs. Many others died among 
the lonely mountains, but Te Kooti, wounded, half- 
starved, weary and desperate, escaped. 

With a few faithful followers he wandered for two 
years a wretched exile. With the price of £5000 upon 
his head, he was hunted and hounded. Living on fern 
root, often near death from hunger, he at length gave 
himself up, was pardoned, and henceforth Hved in peace. 

All this fighting took place in North Island. In the 
meantime South Island was at peace, growing daily richer 
and greater. And in 1871 peace came to North Island 
too, and since then there have been no more wars. 

In 1864 the ParHament had been moved from Auck- 
land to Wellington, Wellington being nearly in the centre 
of the islands, and so more suitable. In 1868 an Act was 
passed by which Maori members sat in Parliament as weU 
as white people, and that helped to sweep away many 
differences. The old days of fighting and misunderstand- 
ing are, we hope, gone for ever, and now Maori and 
Briton live and work side by side. For although of the 
eighty members of ParHament only four are Maori, every 
man and woman, over the age of twenty-one, whether 
Maori or white, has a vote. 

In the last thirty-five years many things have happened 
in New Zealand — things which will be more interesting 
to you later on. New Zealand has grown and grown, 
and, in 1907, it was declared no longer a colony but a 
dominion. Like Canada it is a confederation of self- 
governing states. It has its own Parliament and Law 
Courts, yet remains a part of the British Empire. 

Q 



242 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS 



Kings op Great Britain and 
Ireland. 


Governors of New Zealand. 


Queen Victoria, ... . 1837 






Captain Hobson, . . . 1840 




Lieutenant Shortland, , . 1842 




(temporary) 




Captain Robert Fitzroy, , « 1843 




Captain George Grey, . . 1845 




(Sir George Grey) 




Lieut. -Col. R. H. Wynyard, . 1854 




(temporary) 




Colonel Thomas Gore Browne, 1855 




Sir George Grey, . . . 1861 




Sir George Ferguson Bowen, . 1861 




Sir George Alfred Arney, . . 1873 




(temporary) 




Sir James Ferguson . , . 1873 




Marquess of Normanby, . . 1874 




Chief Justice James Prendergast, 1879 




(temporary) 




Sir Hercules Robinson, . . 1879 




Chief Justice James Prendergast, 1880 




(temporary) 




Sir Arthur Gordon, . . . 1880 




Chief Justice James Prendergast, 1882 




(temporary) 




Sir William Drummond Jervois, 1883 




Earl of Onslow, . . . 1889 




Earl of Glasgow, . . . 1892 




Earl of Ranfurly, , , . 1897 


Edward vii., . . . .1901 






Lord Plunket, .... 1904 


George v., .... 1910 


Lord Islington, . . . 1910 



SOUTH AFKICA 



Note.— The verses in this part of the book are by South African 
authors, except those on the Wreck of the Birkenhead by Francis Doyle. 




Bartholomew. W/^r 



CHAPTER I 

EARLY DAYS 

Long, long ago the Portuguese, you remember, were 
the great seafaring people of Europe. In those old 
days when America, Australia, and New Zealand were 
yet unknown, when no one guessed the vast extent of 
Africa, these fearless sailors swept the seas in their 
tiny vessels seeking new paths to India. And it was a 
Portuguese, Bartholomew Diaz, who, seeking to reach 
India, discovered the Cape of Storms — the Cape of 
Good Hope. 

As on that eventful voyage he sailed southward 
and ever southward, he came to anchor in a bay which 
he called Angra Pequena or the Little Bay. He went 
ashore there hoping to find fresh food and water for his 
sick sailors. Thus he and his men were, so far as we 
know, the first Christian men who trod the shores of 
Africa, south of the equator. In memory of this land- 
ing, and to claim the land for his master, the King of 
Portugal, Diaz set up a marble cross, and carved some 
words upon it. This was in 14.86, and for nearly four 
hundred years that marble cross stood as a remembrance 
of the brave old Portuguese seaman who had set it there. 
For nearly four hundred years it was swept by storms 
of wind and wave, was rained and sunned upon. The 
carving upon it could no longer be read, but still it 



246 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

stood a silent witness of days gone by. At length 
some one in folly and idleness east it to the ground. 
There it lay neglected in the sand, until it was carried 
away to Lisbon, where it may now be seen in the museum, 
a treasured memory of the past. 

If you will look on the map you will find Angra 
Pequena marked. It is now in German South- West 
Africa. But when Diaz and his men landed it was a 
barren and cheerless waste of sand, where they found 
little to eat except sea-birds' eggs. So, from Angra 
Pequena, Diaz sailed on again, rounded the Cape of 
Good Hope, and sailed as far as the great Fish River 
before returning with his news to Portugal. 

The discovery of the Cape was, we may say, a mere 
accident. The Portuguese sailors had set forth, not to 
discover new lands, but a new way to India, and for a 
long time little use was made of it. 

When, ten years after Diaz had made his discovery, 
Vasco da Gama set forth, he, too, landed on the southern 
African coast, not with any idea of settling there, but 
merely to find water and fresh food. It was he who, 
sailing along the shores on Christmas day, caught sight 
of the beautiful coasts which he named Natal, that is, 
the Land of the Birth, so that men might remember 
that it was first seen upon that Holy Day. And by 
that name we call it still. 

Many years passed and the Portuguese trade with 
India grew great. Then, as you know, other peoples 
besides the Portuguese sought the way to India. Holland 
became the mistress of the seas until Britain swept her 
too from the path. So year by year more and more 
ships rounded the stormy Cape. 'We ran aboard the 
Cape,' writes Francis Drake, that old sea dog of Queen 
Elizabeth's time. ' We found the report of the Portu- 



EARLY DAYS 247 

guese to be most false. They affirm that it is the most 
dangerous cape in the world, never without intolerable 
storms and present dangers to travellers who come near 
the same. This Cape is a most stately thing, and the 
fairest cape we have seen in the whole circumference of 
the earth.' 

But although the Cape was calm when Sir Francis 
Drake passed it, it was not always so, and a Portu- 
guese captain was heard mournfully to wonder *why 
God the Lord caused them, who were good Christians 
and Catholics with large and strong ships, always to 
pass the Cape with such great and violent tempest 
and damage ; while the English, who were heretics and 
blasphemers, passed it so easily with weak and small 
vessels.' 

To all these ancient seamen — Portuguese, Dutch, and 
British — the gi-eat continent was useful only as a resting- 
place. Like weary land birds which, flying southward, 
light upon a passing vessel to rest their wings, so the seamen 
of long ago touched upon the shores of Africa for refresh- 
ment on the long voyage to India. Sometimes these 
adventurers saw the natives, and bartered with them for 
cattle. Generally the trade was peacefully done. But 
sometimes quarrels and misunderstandings would arise, 
and blood was shed. 

These natives were very wild and ignorant, and were 
divided into three quite different races — the Bushmen, the 
Hottentots, and the Bantu. 

The Bushmen were the most ignorant, although it is 
thought that they were the oldest of the three races. 
They were of a yellowish brown colour, and very small. 
But although they were small, they were very wiry and 
could run with wonderful speed. They lived in caves 
and holes in the ground, wore no clothes, and had no 



248 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

possessions at all. They roamed about hunting the 
wild animals with which Africa swarmed, living on 
them and on wild plants. 

The Hottentots lived along the shores and were Hke 
the Bushmen in colour, but they were bigger and were 
not quite so ignorant. They built huts of woven 
branches and leaves, and they had herds of tame cattle 
and sheep. They also knew how to make use of iron 
and copper. 

The Bantu lived north of the Bushmen, and were 
the most civilised of the three races. We generally 
speak of them now as Kaffirs, although Kaffir is not 
their real name. It was a kind of nickname given 
to them long ago by Arabian traders, and means 'un- 
believer.' These Kaffirs are again divided into tribes, 
such as Zulus, Matabele, Bechuanas, Basutos, and many 
others. 

The Bantu were big men of a dark brown colour; 
they built neat round houses and thatched them 
cleverly. Their villages were generally built in a 
circle with room for their cattle and sheep in the 
centre, and were called kraals. This word was taken 
from the Portuguese word for a cattle pen, ' curral.' 
Now a South African cattle pen is also called a 
kraal. 

Besides having large flocks and herds, dogs and 
poultry, the Bantu tilled the ground and grew crops 
of millet, or what is now called Kaffir-corn. From 
this Kaffir-corn they made bread. They could also 
smelt iron and make pots of clay, and both men and 
women wore ornaments of copper. Otherwise they 
went almost naked, tattooing their bodies in strange 
patterns. ' They cover themselves with the apparell that 
Adam did weare in Paradice,' says an old writer, * so that 



EARLY DAYS 249 

when they see any white people that weare apparell on 
their bodies they laugh and moke at them as monsters 
and ugly people. ' 

All these three races spoke different languages, they 
hated each other and were constantly at war, and some of 
them, it was said, were cannibals. 



THE COMING OF THE DUTCH 251 

Bay. Fortunately the crew had been able to save, not 
only themselves, but most of the cargo and food, and 
to come safely to land. There, on the very spot where 
now the great city of Cape Town stands, they set up 
their tents and huts. Knowing that they might have 
a long time to wait for a ship to arrive, they dug the 
land round and sowed seed which they had saved from 
the wreck. Soon they had plenty of fruit and vegetables 
and lived very comfortably for about six months. Then 
a ship arrived which carried them safely home to 
Holland. 

Two of the men who had been among the wrecked 
sailors were very much struck with the beautiful climate. 
For they had been there in spring and summer. They 
had been surprised to find how easy it was to make 
things grow, and when they got home they advised the 
Dutch to send out colonists and found a settlement at 
the Cape. 

This, after a time, the Dutch East India Company 
decided to do. For so many of their sailors died of 
scurvy on the long voyage to India that they thought 
it would be a good plan to have a garden at the Cape, 
where the ships could always get fresh vegetables. They 
also decided to build a hospital there in which the sick 
men might be left until they were better. 

So three little ships were sent out from Holland to 
carry the first settlers to the Cape. There were about a 
hundred men and five women. They were grave, stern- 
faced men and women not unhke our own Pilgrim Fathers. 
But they did not flee from their country or from tyranny. 
They went at the command of their country to help it to 
grow greater in trade and wealth. 

The leader of this little band was a small man with a 
fiery temper named Jan van Riebeck. It is worth while 



252 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

to remember his name as he was the first Governor of 
the Cape which has grown to be such a great part of our 
Empire. 

It was in April 1652 that the first settlers anchored 
in Table Bay. April is, as a rule, a beautiful month, 
for the first rains have come and the great heat of 
summer is over. But this year no early rain had fallen, 
the earth was baked hard and dry, all the grass and herbs 
were withered. This was not the beautiful land, gay ^vith 
flowers and greenness, that had been described to the 
colonists. So it was with heavy disappointed hearts that 
they began to build Fort Good Hope, and try to dig 
the hard ground. 

The work went on slowly. The men were sick and 
feeble after their long voyage. There was no green 
thing to eat, and no fresh food of any kind except fish, 
and now and again a hippopotamus, which was looked 
upon as a gTeat delicacy. The ground was hard as iron, 
and needed pick-axes rather than spades to break it up. 
It was useless to sow any seed, and there was no sign 
of rain. A fierce, dry, south-east wind blew, bHnding 
the men with dust as they tried to work, and nearly 
blowing them from the w\alls w^hich they were building. 

Day by day more men fell ill. Day by day fresh 
graves were dug. Those who could still w^ork grew 
more and more feeble, till at last the whole settlement 
seemed like one great hospital, and work of all kinds 
ceased. 

Far from friends and home the little handful of white 
men dwindled and grew less. They saw few natives even, 
and these were poor, wretched Hottentots whom they 
called Beachrangers. They were too poor to help the 
colonists in any way, having no cattle, or possessions of 
any kind. Living a miserable life, they kept themselves 



THE COMING OF THE DUTCH 253 

from starving by eating shell-fish or such refuse as they 
could pick up on the shores. 

At last the rain came. But matters for a time were 
made worse. For the tents and frail wooden houses could 
not keep out the rain which fell in torrents, and the misery 
of life grew greater than before. 

But in the long-run the rain brought relief. For in a 
very short time, almost it seemed as if by magic, the 
earth was once more covered with green, the ground 
became soft, the gardeners planted seeds, and soon the 
sick men had fresh food enough. Then, as the grass 
grew, the Hottentots who had cattle drove them down to 
the Cape, and Jan van Riebeck was able to buy them for 
bits of copper and tobacco. So for a time the sufferings 
of the colonists were over. 

For a little time all went well. But one drizzling 
wet Sunday, while all the colonists were at church in 
the hall of the fort, the Beachrangers attacked the herds- 
man, killed him, and carried off all the cattle. As soon 
as the theft was known the governor and his men 
mounted and rode after the thieves. But although 
they chased them for several days they could not catch 
them, and were obliged to return to the fort dis- 
appointed. 

So again the colonists had to suffer from hunger. They 
had indeed plenty of vegetables now, but they had Httle 
else. And the Hottentots who had cattle would not sell 
them, for Riebeck had no more copper, and they would not 
take anything else. 

But in spite of all difficulties the little colony 
grew. After a time some of the settlers left the service 
of the Company and were allowed to become farmers on 
their own account They were called Free Burghers, 
but they had really very little freedom, for they were 



254 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

not allowed to buy or sell with the natives. Anything 
they had to sell they were obliged to sell to the Com- 
pany, and the Company fixed the price. If a ship came 
into harbour they were not allowed to go near it for 
three days, so that the Company might have a chance of 
buying or selling all they wanted first. They were not 
even allowed to hunt or kill any wild animals, except 
lions, or leopards, or wild cats. 

Those were the days of monopolies, and all these rules 
were made so that the trade of the Company might pros- 
per. The settlement at the Cape had been founded 
merely as a garden and a hospital for the Company's 
servants, and they really did not care whether the Free 
Burghers got on well or not. 

With so many rules to hamper them the Burghers 
found it hard to make a living, and the number of farmers 
did not increase quickly. Indeed some who began farm- 
ing for themselves gave it up and came back to the service 
of the Company. 

For some time the natives were quite friendly, and the 
Dutch had to suffer nothing more than having their 
cattle stolen every now and again. But when the Hot- 
tentots saw that the Dutch did not mean to leave the 
land again, as other white people who came in ships 
had done, they began to grow angry. Then when 
they drove their cattle to pastures which they or their 
fathers had used for years, and found them fenced in, 
or ploughed up, they were more angry still. For the 
Dutch had never asked for the land and had paid nothing 
for it. They simply took it. 

Soon what is called the first Hottentot war began. 
But it was hardly a war, for the natives, knowing what 
strange and deadly weapons the Dutch carried, never 
met them in battle. Now and again there were little 



THE COMING OF THE DUTCH 255 

skirmishes when four or five men would be killed, but 
nothing more. Then after about a year of this kind of 
fighting an old chief, who was called the Fat Captain 
because he was so big and stout, came to Fort Good 
Hope. With him came two men who had learned to 
speak Dutch, and after a great deal of talking peace was 
agreed upon. A feast of rice and bread was then given 
to the Hottentots, and a dance followed which lasted two 
hours. 

In the courtyard of the fort a tub filled with a kind of 
brandy was placed. Of this every man drank as much as 
he liked. Then the savages formed in two long rows and 
began to dance, while their women sat on the ground 
clapping their hands and singing a doleful chant. The 
men danced and danced until they could dance no longer, 
and fell to the ground exhausted. Then they were carried 
out and laid on the grass outside the fort to sleep. This 
went on until, at the end of two hours, only two men 
were left, and so the ceremony ended, and the governor 
could say that he was at peace with all the people of 
South Africa. 



CHAPTEU III 

THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 

For a good many years nothing very important happened. 
The colony grew slowly, and every year became more and 
more useful to the Dutch as a calling station. Indeed it 
came to be looked upon as the outpost to India. So in 
1665 war being declared between Great Britain and 
Holland, the Dutch began to build a stone castle to take 
the place of the little mud fort. For the fort, although 
strong enough to withstand any number of savages, would 
have been useless against British guns. The building got 
on very slowly, however, so slowly, indeed, that one day 
the governor and his wife and httle boy, with all the chief 
inhabitants and their wives, set to work to help to cany 
earth out of the moat. The governor carried twelve 
basketfuls and his wife six, and after that a law was made 
that every one who passed the castle should do as much to 
help on the work. But even then peace was proclaimed 
before the castle was finished. It was solid enough, how- 
ever, when it was finished, and still stands almost unchanged 
to this day, and is used as the headquarters of the British 
army in South Africa. 

When the Dutch first came to the Cape they simply 
took possession of the land they wanted, and when the 
Hottentots objected they fought them, and kept the land. 
But after a time they began to think that that was per- 

S66 



THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 257 

haps not quite right, and in 1672 they made a treaty with 
some of the leading chiefs. 

By this treaty they bought all the great tract of land 
from Saldanah Bay to False Bay for the value of about 
£10 paid in tobacco, beads, trinkets, and other trifles. 
They agreed to pay £1600, but all they did pay was 
£10. It was not perhaps a very honest bargain, but the 
chiefs were quite pleased. They had no idea of the value 
of the goods which they were given. They had no idea of 
the value of the land, besides which, they had already lost 
it, and were now being paid for what they had little hope 
of ever getting back again. 

But the treaty did not put an end to the wars, and 
the very next year there was fighting with a tribe under 
a chief called the Black Captain. He was so called 
because he painted himself with soot instead of with red 
clay like the other warriors. 

The fight was begun by the Black Captain seizing 
wagons and other things belonging to some farmers who 
had gone on a hunting expedition. Soldiers and burghers 
turned out to punish the Black Captain, and some friendly 
natives joined too. It was by no means easy, however, 
to catch the Hottentots, and make them fight a battle, 
for they moved quickly, swooping down upon the Dutch 
unexpectedly, and vanishing silently in the night to hide in 
the mountains where the Dutch could not follow them. 
Thus for four years the country was kept in unrest. Be- 
sides fighting with the Dutch, the Black Captain kept other 
tribes from bringing cattle to the Cape to trade. So the 
colonists had no fresh meat for the ships when they 
called, and sometimes little enough for themselves, and 
the colony suffered in every way. But at length the 
Black Captain grew tired of living in the mountains, and 
asked for peace. This was granted ; Dutch and Hottentot 

R 



258 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

exchanged presents, and once more agreed to live quietly 
together. 

But still the colony grew very slowly, for the people 
of Holland found enough work to do at home, and it was 
hard to persuade them to leave all their friends behind, 
and go far away to live in an unknown country among 
savages. But about this time something happened which 
shows how the history of one country helps to make the 
history of another. 

You know that long ago when people first began to 
be divided into Protestants and Catholics, they hated 
each other because of their religion, and whichever side 
was stronger in a country, treated the other side cruelly. 
In France the Protestants were called Huguenots, and 
they were often hardly treated, until one of their kings 
made a law called the Edict of Nantes. By this law 
the Protestants were allowed to live in peace and worship 
God in their own way. For more than eighty years 
they lived quietly, growing rich and prosperous, for the 
Huguenots were, for the most part, thrifty, industrious 
farmers and manufacturers. 

Then another king recalled this law, and once more 
the Huguenots had to suffer terrible things. They were 
forbidden to worship God in their own way ; they were 
also forbidden to leave the country to seek freedom else- 
where. But in spite of that many did flee away. They 
dressed up in all sorts of ways and tried to escape to 
England, Switzerland, and Holland. Ladies stained their 
faces and their hands, put on old clothes and tried to 
make themselves look like peasants. Children were 
hidden in empty wine casks, and put down into the holds 
of ships till they got out of sight of the shores of France. 
Gentlemen trudged along the road begging from door 
to door like tramps. And thus many escaped, but many 



THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 259 

too were caught. Then the men were sent to the 
galleys to work in chains beside thieves and cut-throats, 
and the women were put into convents, where they were 
often treated more cruelly than they would have been in 
prison. 

It was perhaps easier to escape from France to 
Holland than to any other country, and a great many 
Huguenots fled there. The Dutch were kind to these 
refugees as they were called, but Holland was small and 
the Dutch did not want any more people in their little 
country at home. They did want them at the Cape, 
however, so about two hundred French Huguenots were 
persuaded to go out. They arrived at the Cape in April 
1688, just thirty-six years after the first Dutch had 
settled there. They were given farms like the Free 
Burghers, and the place where most of them settled 
down came to be called Franche Hoek, or French Corner. 

The Huguenots had fled from tyranny at home, but 
they found that the Dutch East India Company which 
ruled the Cape was a tyrant as great as their own king. 
The Dutch, it is true, were Protestants like themselves, 
but in everything else they were different, yet they were 
bent on making the French colonists live like themselves. 
The governor— not now van Kiebeck, but another— had 
asked the Government to send more farmers, but he 
made up his mind not to have anything but Dutch 
farmers, and he set about turning the French into Dutch 
as quickly as possible. 

So the new colonists were hardly allowed to speak 
French. The children at school learned only Dutch. 
Dutch ministers preached to them on Sunday, and, when 
the French begged to be allowed to have a church of 
their own, the governor flew into a rage. He called it 
French impertinence and talked of their rebellious con- 



260 OUR EMPIKE STORY 

duct. So it came about that, in a few years, only the 
older people could speak French. The children forgot 
the sunny land from which they had come, and their pretty 
native tongue, and nothing about them remained French 
except their names. So, although the colony grew much 
larger, it remained as thoroughly Dutch as before. 

But it was not the Huguenots alone who felt the 
tyranny of the Dutch Company. The Dutch farmers 
themselves felt it, for they could neither buy nor sell 
without the leave of the Company. Their whole life 
indeed was bound with rules and laws about every little 
thing. Some of these laws seem very funny to us now. 
In spite of the fact that in South Africa the sun is very 
hot, only a few people were allowed to use umbrellas for 
shade. Very few ladies were allowed to wear silk 
dresses, and no woman at all, high or low, was allowed 
to wear a train. If any person, driving, met the governor, 
he had to stop his carriage, get out, and stand hat in 
hand, until the governor had passed, or even sometimes 
he was expected to turn his own carriage out of the 
way, so that the governor might have plenty of room. 
Only the governor might drive a gilded coach, and few 
except him might have two horses. 

AH these laws and many besides became very tire- 
some to the Dutch farmers, and to get away from them 
they moved farther and farther from Cape Town. As 
the Dutch were nearly all farmers they came to be 
called Boers, as boer is the Dutch word for farmer. And 
when many years had passed, people almost forgot how 
the name first arose, and we talk now of the Boers as 
of the French or the Germans, forgetting, or perhaps not 
knowing, that the word really means farmer. 

When the Boers moved from place to place they 
called it trekking, from another Dutch word trekken, 



THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 261 

to draw or remove, and they themselves were called Trek 
Boers. And the great plains of South Africa over which 
they trekked, they called the veldt, from another Dutch 
word meaning field. 

And as they trekked away into the solitudes of the 
vast rolHng plains a race of stern, silent, freedom-loving 
farmers arose — men who loved loneliness and who hated 
rules and restraints. These Trek Boers were very ignorant 
of everything but farm work, for travelling about as they 
did the children could not go to school, and often the only 
book they possessed was the Dutch Bible. Their houses 
were poor, and they had few goods of any kind. For, living 
far from their fellows, surrounded only by wild natives, 
they might at any time be attacked and robbed, so it 
was not worth while for them to have many possessions. 
Sometimes, indeed, the Trek Boer had no house at all, 
but he and his family lived in the covered wagons in 
which they moved about from place to place. But if the 
life was hard and full of dangers both from natives and 
wild beasts, it was at least free. And freedom to do as 
he liked, came to be the chief desire of the Boer. 



CHAPTER IV 

THE COMING OF THE BRITISH 

Time went on and many governors followed one after 
the other. Some were good, and some were bad, and 
the Cape prospered more or less. But meanwhile 
Holland sank from its great place among the nations of 
the world, and the Dutch East India Company became 
poorer and poorer, getting daily deeper into debt, and 
nearer and nearer ruin. To pay its debts the Company 
taxed its colonists more and more heavily, and many of 
the Cape Boers became very discontented. 

Then in the end of the eighteenth century, the French 
rebelled against their king, and declared their land to 
be a repubUc. The shock of the French Revolution, as 
it was called, was felt by all the countries of Europe, 
and not only by them, but by their colonies, and many 
lands wished to follow the example of France. 

In Holland two parties arose. One, calling itself the 
patriot party, wished to make the land a repubUc like 
France. The other, called the Orange party, kept true 
to its ruler, the Prince of Orange. War broke out be- 
tween the two, Britain helping the Orangeites, and 
France helping the Patriots. After some fighting the 
Prince of Orange, finding most of his people against him, 
fled to England in a fishing-boat. King George iii. 
received him kindly, but Holland meantime became a 
republic and declared war with Great Britain. 

262 



THE COMING OF THE BRITISH 263 

At the Cape, too, people took sides, some declaring 
for the Prince, and others for the Patriots, while yet a 
third party of burghers formed themselves into a republic 
of their own. So the whole Cape was in a great state of 
confusion. 

By this time the British had become very anxious to 
get possession of the Cape, for they saw what a good 
half-way house it was to India. They were afraid, too, 
that the French might seize it, and so strengthen their 
power in India, and they determined to keep the French 
out of it at all costs. 

So one day ships set sail for the Cape, the commander 
carrying with him an order from the Prince of Orange 
to the governor, telling him to allow the British to take 
possession of the colony. For the Prince believed that 
the British only meant to take possession of it for him, 
and give it back when there was peace once more. 

But when the ships arrived the governor would not 
give up the Cape at once. He was an Orangeite, it is 
true, but the Prince was an exile and wrote from a 
foreign land, and the governor was afraid to obey him. 
News travelled slowly in those days, and he did not know 
what had been happening in Holland. So he tried to put 
off time, hoping that something would happen before long 
to show him what was the best thing to do. For some 
weeks letters passed between the British Commander 
and the Dutch Governor, but nothing came of it, and 
although the governor talked very grandly about the 
duty of defending the colony against the enemy, he 
really did nothing. 

The burghers and farmers, however, gathered to arms, 
for most of them were Patriots, and wanted to resist the 
British who came in the name of the Prince. But they 
were not united, as some wished to be ruled neither by 



264 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

British nor Dutch, but to be a free republic. They did 
not trust their leaders either, and there was a great deal 
of confusion. 

At last the British soldiers were landed, and after a 
very little fighting the governor consented to give up 
the colony. Many of the Dutch cursed him as a traitor, 
and said that he had sold his country, but with flags 
flying and drums beating the Dutch soldiers marched 
out of Cape Town castle to lay down their arms, and 
give themselves up as prisoners of war. 

Thus on 16th September 1795 Cape Colony became 
a British possession, and the rule of the Dutch East 
India Company, which had lasted less than a hundred 
and fifty years, came to an end for ever. 

But although the rule of the Dutch was at an end, 
and the colony in the hands of the British, many of the 
burghers were very unwilling to yield to their new rulers. 
Tlie new British Governor tried hard, however, to make 
the colonists pleased with the change. He did away 
with all the petty rules and restrictions of the Company. 
' Every man may buy from whom he will,' he proclaimed, 
' sell to whom he will, and come and go whenever and 
wherever he chooses. From this day forward there is 
free trade and a free market for all.' No new taxes were 
imposed, and where it was possible the old ones were 
made lighter. So, finding that they were really better 
off*, most of the colonists took the oath to be faithful to 
King George. 

Only in a district called Graff" Reinet the people would 
not yield. Here the colonists pulled down the Union 
Jack, and declared that they would never consent to be 
ruled by the British. But after a time, when they found 
themselves cut off" from other people, when they found 
that they could only get guns and ammunition, and all 



THE COMING OF THE BRITISH 265 

the other things that they required, through the British, 
they yielded too, and took the oath to the King. 

But at home the rulers of the new Dutch Republic 
were not inclined meekly to allow the rich colony to slip 
away from them without a struggle, and so nine Dutch 
ships sailed one day into Saldanha Bay. But the British 
admiral had heard of their coming, and a strong British 
fleet shut them in on the sea side, while a British army 
threatened them from the shore. 

The Dutch were caught as in a trap. They could 
neither go back nor forward. Resistance was useless, 
and they gave in without a shot being fired on either side. 

A great many of the soldiers whom the Dutch had 
brought with them were Germans who had been taken 
prisoner by the French, and forced to fight for Holland. 
They did not at all mind changing sides, and soon 
hundreds of them were wearing British uniforms ready 
to fight for the very men they had been sent out to fight 
against. 

But now that the British had secured possession of 
the Cape, the Prince of Orange discovered that they had 
no intention of handing it back to him. They kept it for 
themselves, and Lord Macartney, an old Irishman, was 
sent out as governor. 

Lord Macartney was a good ruler but very severe. 
He put an end to free trade, which made people angry. 
But they had to be careful how they talked, for if they 
so much as said that they liked the French or the Dutch, 
they might find themselves clapped into prison or fined 
a large sum of money. 

After him came another governor, during whose rule 
nothing very important happened. There were troubles 
with the natives and with the colonists, but in spite of 
them the colony grew in wealth and greatness. It was 



266 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

not for long, however, as when at last peace was made in 
Europe by the Treaty of Amiens, the Cape was given 
back to the Dutch. 

So one day the governor made a proclamation setting 
people free from the oath that they had taken to King 
George, and on Sunday evening the 20th February 1803, 
as the sun set, the Union Jack was hauled down. When 
the sentries were changed, Dutch soldiers once more 
took the place of British redcoats, and when the sun 
rose next morning the Dutch flag was hoisted. The 
Cape once more belonged to Holland, and all the British 
officers and soldiers went home. The Dutch, rejoicing 
greatly that their country had been given back to them, 
held a day of thanksgiving. In the churches there were 
services of joy, and afterwards the new Dutch Governor 
was set in his place with solemn ceremony. 

But although the Cape again belonged to Holland, 
the Dutch East India Company with its petty tyranny 
was gone for ever. The colony was now under the direct 
rule of Holland, and the colonists were well pleased with 
the change. Hardly three months, however, had passed, 
before the nations of Europe were once more at war. 
Then the Dutch Governor, well knowing that the British 
would again try to take the Cape, gathered all the 
soldiers and ammunition he could. 

But for three years nothing happened. The Cape 
was left in peace, for the British had enough to do 
fighting at home. Then one day, almost without being 
noticed, a British squadron set sail, and turned south- 
wards. And while Napoleon was marching triumphantly 
over Europe, while the fleets of France and Spain were 
being shattered in Trafalgar Bay, the little squadron still 
sailed on southwards, and at last, one January morning 
in 1806, anchored in Table Bay. 



THE COMING OF THE BRITISH 267 

Guns were fired, beacons were lit, and from hill to 
hill the message flashed, calling the Dutch to fight for 
their country. Leaving half his men to guard Cape 
Town, the governor marched with the other half to meet 
the enemy. His army was a mixed one. In it were 
Dutch and French and German soldiers, Boers and 
Hottentots, and slaves from Java. And with such an 
army he had to fight a well- trained British force of twice 
the number. 

The two armies met on the plains of Blueberg, some 
miles north of Cape Town, in the cool, fresh, early 
morning. The battle was not long. From the very 
beginning there had been little doubt of how it would 
go, for many on the Dutch side were not fighting for 
their country. They were merely paid to fight, and 
when they saw the great force against them they fled. 
They were not paid to die. The burghers, indeed, stood 
their ground for a time. But when a regiment of 
Highlanders, uttering their fierce war-cry, charged upon 
them with fixed bayonets glittering in the sunshine, they 
too gave way, and, fleeing from the field, sought shelter 
in the hills. 

In a few hours the contest was over, and the Cape 
once again became a British possession. Once more 
the Union Jack was hoisted, once more the burghers 
took the oath to be faithful to King George, and a British 
Governor ruled the land. 

Then a few years later, after Waterloo had been 
fought, and the wars of Napoleon were at an end, the 
great powers of Europe acknowledged British rule in 
South Africa. And Britain for this and for some other 
lands, paid six million pounds to the Prince of Orange, 
who had returned to Holland as its ruler. Thus the 
Cape became a British possession by right of conquest 



268 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

and by right of purchase. But, although the rulers had 
changed, the people remained Dutch. Except in Cape 
Town there were few English-speaking people in the 
land, and the Boers did not willingly settle down under 
British rule. The British Governor had no easy time, 
for there were troubles with the Boers, troubles with the 
natives, and sometimes troubles between the natives 
and the Dutch. 



CHAPTER V 

THE REBELLION OF SLACHTER'S NEK 

Long ago it was the habit of all white races to treat 
dark races with cruelty. The British about this time 
were beginning to see that that was wrong, but the 
Boers, who lived a lonely life, cut off from all the 
world, were slow to learn, and they still looked upon 
the natives of South Africa as little better than trouble- 
some animals that might be hunted from the land, and 
killed if they became too troublesome. 

When the British took possession of the Cape, they 
made up their minds to protect the black man. So, 
when a farmer named Bezuidenhout ill-treated a black 
servant, he was ordered to appear before a magistrate 
to answer for his misdeeds. But Bezuidenhout, thinking 
as he did that a black man was of very little account, 
refused to go. 

The part of the country where this farmer lived was 
wild and hilly, and a company of Hottentot soldiers was 
sent to seize him. Bezuidenhout thought it was an insult 
to send black soldiers against him, and when he saw them 
coming he fired at them from his house. Then with two 
other men he took refuge in a cave where he had already 
placed a store of food and ammunition. 

The path to this cave was so hidden by bushes that 
for a long time the soldiers hunted about in vain to find 
it. At length, however, they caught sight of the shining 



270 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

barrels of guns, and scrambled up the narrow track. But 
it was so narrow that only one man could come along 
it at once. So for a long time Bezuidenhout kept the 
soldiers at bay refusing to surrender and declaring that 
he would fight to the death. But at length one or two 
of the men managed to scramble to the mouth of the 
cave, and in the scuffle which followed Bezuidenhout 
was shot dead. 

Next day the dead man's friends gathered to bury 
him. It was a great funeral, and when all his friends 
and relatives had come together his brother Jan made a 
passionate speech, calling on all true burghers to drive 
the usurpers from the land. If they did not, this, he told 
them, was what they might expect ; to be hunted from 
their homes and murdered by black men. He spoke such 
burning, glowing words that many who heard him resolved 
to rebel. 

A plot was soon formed. The rebels met at a place 
called Slachter's Nek, and from that was called the 
Slachter Nek Rebellion. But it was one of the most 
hopeless rebellions ever undertaken. In all, the rebels 
numbered only about fifty, for most of the burghers 
took the side of the Government. Yet these fifty 
hoped to drive the great British power out of their 
land. They tried to make a powerful Kaffir chief called 
Gaika help them, promising him land and other rewards 
if they succeeded. But Gaika was wary. He wanted 
to be on the winning side, and would do nothing until 
he saw which was the stronger. * Before I sit by a fire 
I must see which way the wind blows,' he said. 

But with help or without it the rebels were bent on 
driving the * tyrants' from the land. And when the 
news of the rising reached Grahamstown, which was the 
nearest fort, soldiers w^ere sent against them. Most of 



THE REBELLION OF SLACHTER'S NEK 271 

the rebels yielded almost at once, but some, taking their 
wives and children with them, trekked away over the 
borders of the colony to take refuge among the Kaffirs. 
Among these was Jan Bezuidenhout. 

At first it was not known in which direction they had 
gone, for all unknown Africa was before them. But when 
at length it was discovered, the soldiers quickly pursued 
and surrounded them. 

The fugitives had taken the oxen out of their wagons 
and placed them in a circle forming what is called in South 
Africa a laager, or camp. But when they were surprised 
by the soldiers, most of the men were outside the laager, 
and yielded at once. Jan alone would not yield. * Let 
us never be taken alive,' he said. 

* Let us die together,' said his wife Martha, 

So he, and she, and their boy of fourteen stood to- 
gether behind the sheltering wagons to fight for what they 
thought was the right. Out in the wide veldt, with miles 
and miles of rolling hill and plain around, with never a 
friend near, these three stood to fight against a force of 
twenty-two burghers and two hundred Hottentots. 

Jan fired gun after gun, Martha standing beside him 
quietly loading. But at last he fell wounded to death. 
So, brave, but ignorant and mistaken Jan, died, and his 
wife and son were made prisoner. 

Besides them there were thirty-three prisoners. Some 
were banished, some imprisoned, some fined, and five were 
condemned to death. Every one hoped and expected that 
these last would be pardoned. But the governor was stern 
and hard, and would not pardon them. They met their 
death bravely. Singing a hymn they went to the scaffold 
while a great crowd of angry, sorrowing friends looked on. 

The rebellion was at an end. In itself it had been no 
great thing. There never had been any chance that it 



272 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

could succeed, and as so many of the burghers sided with 
the rulers, it might have helped to draw the two races to- 
gether. Instead of that, the bitterness was made worse. 
For the burghers had never thought that in helping to 
put down the rebellion they were bringing their fellow 
countrymen to death. When they saw what they had 
done they were angry, both with themselves and with 
the governor. Instead of the two races becoming more 
friendly they became more unfriendly, and for many years 
the rebellion of Slachter's Nek was remembered with sore- 
ness and grief. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE GREAT WITCH DOCTOR 

Ever since white people first came to South Africa there 
had been wars with the natives, for as the farms of the 
white people spread themselves out more and more they 
forced the natives away from the land which had been 
theirs, and very naturally the natives were angry. As the 
black people were not strong enough to drive these white 
strangers out, they stole their cattle and ruined their 
houses whenever they had a chance. To prevent this, 
forts were built along the line which divided the land 
claimed by the white people from the land of the black 
people. But in spite of that, robbery, plunder, and 
destruction were frequent. 

The Kaffir braves were very swift and silent. In 
the dead of night they would creep down from their 
mountains. Stealthily they would surround some farm- 
house, and in the darkness drive off all the cattle. So 
noiselessly did they come and go that often the farmer 
and his family slept peacefully, knowing nothing of their 
loss until in the morning they would find their cattle- 
pens empty. 

Besides robbing and plundering the farmers, the 
Kaffirs often fought among themselves, adding thus to 
the unrest and confusion of the land. The British kept 
out of these quarrels as much as they could, but at last 
there came a time when that seemed no longer possible. 



274 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

There were two great rival chiefs named Gaika and 
Ndlambe, and between them a bitter feud arose. Ndlambe 
defeated Gaika, and he fled to the British begging for 
help. Gaika had been acknowledged by the British as 
the head of the Kaffir tribes, and he had always seemed 
friendly, whereas Ndlambe had always been unfriendly. 
The quarrel between them had nothing whatever to do 
with the British, yet the governor thought that he must 
help Gaika. 

So a British officer and some soldiers were sent to 
help the Kaffir chief. Ndlambe's land was overrun and 
many villages destroyed. Then Gaika's joy at being able 
so easily to punish his enemies knew no bounds. He 
and his men revelled in blood, and did such deeds ot 
cruelty that the British officer, feeling that he could no 
longer fight for savages, marched away leaving Ndlambe 
only half-subdued. 

As soon as Ndlambe saw his enemy deserted by his 
white friends he once more took courage, and, gathering 
his braves, utterly defeated Gaika. Then his wild hordes 
poured like a torrent into the colony, burning houses, 
plundering farms, and murdering both white men and 
natives. On and on they came, destroying all in their 
path until the dark masses swarmed round the town of 
Grahamstown. It was the first and only time that the 
Kaffirs ever dared to attack the white man in his town. 
But Ndlambe's men were full of a wild and boundless 
courage, for they were led on by a wonderful medicine 
man or witch doctor called Makana. 

Makana had sent messages through all the land, call- 
ing on all true Kaffirs to join in sweeping the British into 
the sea. He promised sure victory to those who fought, 
and threatened those who held back with the anger and 
revenge of the Great Spirit. The Kaffirs believed Makana 



THE GKEAT WITCH DOCTOR 275 

to be a mighty prophet, and so they thronged to fight for 
him. 

The burghers too gathered to defend their town. 
But within the walls there were scarce three hundred 
men, and without there swarmed nine thousand savage 
warriors. 

At daybreak Makana gathered his men, and spoke to 
them in stirring words. ' The spirits of the earth, the 
spirits of the air will fight for us,' he cried. * The fire of 
the white man can avail naught against us. To battle I 
to battle! Fight till we drive him into the sea from 
whence he came.' 

Then with awful war-cries, sure of victory, mad for 
blood, the dark host poured upon the town. 

But the white men were ready. Their guns rang 
out, their cannon roared, shells ploughed their way 
through the dark charging masses, and laid hundreds 
dead upon the ground. But nothing made them pause. 
Leaping over their dead and dying comrades, the savages 
came on right up to the British guns. It became a 
hand-to-hand fight. 

The Kaffirs were armed only with assagais, as the 
native spears were caUed. They were protected only by 
skin-covered shields, which against shot and shell were 
useless. Man after man went down, till at last their 
savage courage was quelled. Those in front wavered 
and fell back. The whole army was thrown into wild 
confusion and fled, leaving a thousand dead upon the 
field. On the British side only three were killed. 

After this daring attack upon the white man a British 
force marched into Ndlambe's country. Thousands of 
cattle were seized, villages were destroyed, his followers 
scattered far and wide, and Ndlambe's power utterly 
broken. 



276 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Then seeing the misery that had come upon his 
people, Makana did a noble thing. One morning, un- 
known to his followers, he marched alone into the British 
camp. ' 1 am told that it was I who caused the war,' 
he said. * I have come to see if by giving myself up I 
may bring peace to my country. ' 

And thus the war was ended. 

Makana was sent a prisoner to Robben Island. In 
less than a year, however, he grew weary of restraint, 
and he tried to escape in a fishing-boat. But the boat 
was upset and Makana was drowned. When the people 
were told that their prophet was dead, they would not 
believe it, so great was their faith in him. * He 
will come again,' they said ; ' he will surely come 
again to lead us to victory as he promised.' So they 
carefully kept his spears, bracelets, and sleeping mat. 
But young men grew white-haired, and old men 
died, and still Makana did not come. Yet a few hoped 
always. Old men told stories to their children of the 
great witch doctor who had done such wonderful deeds, 
and who would one day appear again. But at last even the 
most hopeful lost hope, and little more than thirty years 
ago, his spears and all that belonged to him were buried. 

Before the war with Makana, the boundary of the 
colony had been the Great Fish River. After it the 
Kaffirs were driven farther back beyond the Keiskama 
River. But an agreement was made that between the 
two rivers no one, either white or black, should settle. 
In this way it was hoped to keep a barrier of deserted 
land between the colony and the natives. But this was 
soon found to be a very bad arrangement. It became a 
hiding-place for wild hordes of plundering natives. After 
a time both natives and white people broke the agreement 
and settled in the ' ceded country ' as it was called. 



THE GREAT WITCH DOCTOR 277 



MAKANA'S GATHERING 

Wake ! Amakosa wake ! 

And arm yourselves for war. 

As coming winds the forests shake, 

I hear a sound from far : 

It is not thunder in the sky, 

Nor lion's roar upon the hill. 

But the voice of him who sits on high, 

And bids me speak his will. 

He bids me call you forth. 

Bold sons of Kahabee, 

To sweep the white man from the earth. 

And drive them to the sea : 

The sea, that heaved them up at first. 

For Amakosa's curse and bane. 

Howls for the progeny she nurst, 

To swallow them again. 

Then come, ye chieftains bold, 

With war-plumes waving high ; 

Come every warrior, young and old. 

With club and assagai. 

Remember how the spoiler's host 

Did through our land like locusts range. 

Your herds, your wives, your comrades lost — 

Remember — and revenge ! 

Fling your broad shields away — 

Bootless against such foes ; 

But hand to hand we '11 fight to-day 

And with their bayonets close. 

Grasp each man short his stabbing spear — 

And, when to battle's edge we come. 

Rush on their ranks in full career. 

And to their hearts strike home. 

Thomas Pringle. 



CHAPTER VII 

ABOUT THE COMING OF BRITISH SETTLERS AND THE 
WARS OF THE BLACK NAPOLEON 

When the Cape became a British possession, the settlers 
were nearly all Dutch, and although a great tract of land 
had been claimed by them it was very thinly peopled. 
In places on the wide veldt as far as the eye could reach 
there was no sign of a dwelling. In other places only 
here and there might be seen the smoke of a lonely farm- 
house. There were really not enough settlers on the 
land to make the best use of it. So the British Parlia- 
ment resolved to send out more colonists to people the 
wide plains of South Africa. 

The wars which Britain had carried on against 
Napoleon for so many years had cost a great deal of 
money, and many of the people had become very poor. 
So. when the British Government offered to take them 
to South Africa and give them farms there for nothing, 
numbers were eager to go. Indeed, so many wanted to 
go that the government had not money enough to send 
even a quarter of those who asked to be sent. So about 
four thousand only of the number were chosen. 

The government did not only choose farmers, but all 
kinds of people, such as shoemakers, tailors, clerks, 
doctors, army officers, shopkeepers, and many others, 
most of whom had no idea of farming, many no idea of 
hard work. But somehow the government seemed to 

273 



THE COMING OF BRITISH SETTLERS 279 

expect that all these people would become good farmers 
as soon as they reached South Africa. 

Of course no such magic happened, and many of them 
failed. They did their best, however. They set to work 
at once to build their houses, and fence and plough their 
land. But fortune was against them. That year all over 
South Africa the crops failed, and many of the new 
settlers, after suffering great trials, gave up their land 
and wandered back to the towns. There many of them 
found that they could easily get work at their old trades, 
and so nearly all were able to begin hfe over again, and 
in the end make comfortable homes for themselves and 
families. About a quarter of those who had come out 
still held to their farms, and in spite of many troubles 
from blight, and drought, and floods, at length they too 
succeeded. 

Most of these new British colonists settled farther 
east than the Boers, and their part of the country came 
to be called Albany, and it was by them that the town of 
Port Elizabeth was founded. It is now the second 
seaport, and still one of the most British of South African 
towns. 

And now that the Cape was a British possession and 
that there were many British colonists settled there, the 
government at home thought that it was time to make 
English the language of the country. 

You remember that when the French Huguenots 
came to the Cape the Dutch soon made them give up 
their own language and speak Dutch. They did not 
see that there was any hardship in that. But now that 
the Dutch themselves were treated in something of the 
same way it seemed to them very hard. They strove 
against the new law as much as they could, but it was of 
no use. They were allowed to speak Dutch in their 



280 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

own homes as much as they liked, but when they went 
to law, or wanted to speak with the Governor, or do 
anything in connection with the ruling of the land, they 
were forced to speak English. Thus English became 
what is called the * official' language of the country. 
Since then, however, in 1882, an act has been passed 
allowing Members of Parliament to speak either in Dutch 
or English. 

The Boers did not like the introduction of the 
English language, but they soon had another and far 
greater grievance. A great deal of w^ork on the Boer 
farms was done by slaves, but about this time the British 
people began to see that slavery was wrong, and in 1833 
it was forbidden, not only in Britain but in all British 
colonies. Of course those who owned slaves lost a great 
deal of money, and although the British Government 
voted a large sum to help to repay the slave-owners, it 
was not nearly enough, and many people who had been 
well off became quite poor. 

Many of the Boer farmers did not object to the slaves 
being freed, but they did want to be properly paid for 
their loss. The sum set aside for the freeing of the 
Cape slaves was so small, however, that many of the 
owners got very little. The money could only be paid 
in London, and as the farmers could not go to London 
to get it they had to trust to others, and often in the end 
received only a quarter of it. Of course it was right that 
the slaves should be freed, but the way it was done caused 
a great deal of bitterness among the colonists. 

While these things were happening in the colony, 
beyond its borders the land was seething with war and 
bloodshed, for the native tribes were fighting terribly 
among themselves. There was a warlike and cruel Zulu 
chief named Tshaka who attacked and conquered all 



ABOUT THE BLACK NAPOLEON 281 

around him. He was so fierce and terrible that he was 
called the Black Napoleon of South Africa. This chief 
swept the land, killing and destroying without mercy 
until there were few left to kill. The country was strewn 
with bleaching bones, the villages were blackened ruins, 
their gardens trampled and deserted. 

Those who escaped from the spears of Tshaka's 
terrible soldiers died of starvation, a few only taking 
refuge among other Kaffir tribes, who gave them the 
name of Fingoes or wanderers. A million people it was 
said died through Tshaka's wars, and thousands of miles 
of country were made a desert. 

At last this fierce chieftain was stabbed to death by 
his own brother Dingaan, who then became head of the 
Zulus. But things were made little better, for he was 
almost as cruel and warlike as his brother had been. 

There were other chiefs too who followed Tshaka's 
example, and fire and bloodshed desolated the land until 
all the wide tract from the borders of Cape Colony to 
the river Limpopo, and from the sea almost half across 
Africa, became a desert, in which scarcely a human being 
was to be found. 

These wars were of course only among the natives 
themselves, but later on they came to have an effect on 
the colony. 

LANDING OF BRITISH SETTLERS— 1820 

Upon this South-sea strand — 
Unto the savage land — 
Welcome, ye little band. 
Fit to brave danger. 

Losses and wars will be 
Fires of adversity, 
Tests which ye cannot flee 
Trials and sorrows. 



282 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Yours for success to fight ; 
Yours to defend the right ; 
Striving with all your might 
For Ufa and freedom. 

Under benignant skies, 
Fruits on the plains shall rise, 
As labour's sacrifice 
To the Creator. 

Herds, flocks, and trade shall be 
Proof of your industry, 
Making prosperity 
Smile upon labour. 

Sons of the great and free ! 
Oh ! let your motto be, 
* God and the right for me, 
Forward for ever.' 

Alex. Wilmot, 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE GREAT TREK 

The Kaffirs had always been a great trouble to the 
colonists. Their farms and cattle were never safe, and 
between the colonists and the natives there had been 
many fights, and at least five wars, in spite of the fact 
that the government tried to keep peace. So anxious 
indeed were the rulers not to have war that often the 
Kaffirs were allowed to go unpunished for their misdeeds. 
This, however, only made them bolder, and the farmers 
more angry with the rulers. 

Now, about three weeks after the freeing of the slaves 
a new war with the Kaffirs began. For some time they 
had been restless and insolent. The more they were 
allowed to go unpunished, the more they laughed at the 
colonists, scorning them for their weakness, and the 
bolder they became in their plunderings. Still, in spite 
of everything, few people believed that they meant war. 
But suddenly, two days before Christmas 1834, a wild 
horde of twelve thousand warriors poured over the border 
into the eastern part of the colony. The farmers, whose 
homes were scattered far and wide over the plains, were 
completely taken by surprise. They were murdered 
without mercy, their farms were ruined, and their cattle 
driven off. 

Everywhere round Grahamstown the great rolling 
plains had been dotted with little whitewashed houses, 

2SS 



284 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

surrounded by gardens and orchards. Now night after 
night the sky was lit up with flames, and day by day 
fresh blackened ruins showed where these peaceful homes 
had been. 

The whole land was turned into a desert of blood and 
ashes. Those who escaped from the fury of the savages 
fled to the nearest towns, and Grahamstown was soon full 
of refugees. There a church was turned into a shelter for 
those homeless ones, most of whom had lost everything 
that they possessed. The streets were barricaded, and 
the townspeople did what they could to defend them- 
selves. Every man walked about with his gun ready, but 
there were few soldiers in the colony at this time, and 
there was no one to take command. 

But before many days had passed the news of the 
uprising reached Cape Town. As soon as he heard of it, 
Colonel Harry Smith set out for Grahamstown. He 
wasted no time, starting off" in the middle of the night on 
his long ride of about six hundred miles. It was summer, 
and the heat was great, but in spite of that he rode on 
and on, hardly pausing to rest till six days later he reached 
Grahamstown. It was a wonderful ride. 

Colonel Harry Smith at once took command. He 
called out every man between sixteen and sixty to fight 
for his country, and every man who could carry a gun 
came willingly. More than a thousand Hottentots were 
called out too, a regiment of Highlanders came from the 
Cape, and the war began in real earnest. 

But to fight the savages was difficult. They would 
not come out and fight the British in the open. They 
lurked in wild fastnesses in the hills and valleys, and had 
to be driven from one strong fortress after another. As 
soon as they were beaten in one place, they fell back to 
a second, and then to a third. But the British at length 



THE GREAT TREK 285 

swept bare all the land between the great Fish River and 
the Kei, Hintsa the chief was killed, and his son made 
peace. 

By this peace the boundary of the colony was put 
forward to the river Kei. This was done, said the governor, 
because ' Hintsa had, without just provocation or declara- 
tion of war, burst into His Majesty's colony of the Cape 
of Good Hope ; laid waste the eastern province with fire 
and sword ; and plundered and murdered the peaceful 
inhabitants.' 

Along the frontiers of this new province, the governor 
ordered several forts to be built. To these he sent small 
garrisons so that in future the farmers might be protected. 

Peace being made, the farmers returned to their homes. 
They began to build again their ruined houses, and gather 
in what was left of their wasted crops, hoping that now 
at last they would be able to live in peace. 

But to the surprise of every one, and to the rage of the 
farmers, news soon came that the treaty was not to be 
allowed. The forts were to be given up, and the boundary 
of the colony was to be put back to where it was before 
the war. 

Men who believed themselves to be the true friends of 
the black people had gone home to England to tell the 
government that the war had been unjust, and that the 
Kaffirs were not to blame. Those in power believed what 
they were told. * Justice is on the side of the conquered, 
not of the victorious party,' said the Secretary of State for 
the Colonies. The Kaffirs were quite right to fight, he 
thought, and they were not to be punished. 

The Boers had never liked British rule, now they hated 
it. It was nothing but tyranny, they said, and they refused 
to live any longer under the rule of tyrants. Their slaves 
had been taken from them, and no just return had been 



286 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

given. Again and again their farms had been plundered 
by the Kaffirs, and the government had given them 
neither protection nor help. And so they made up their 
minds to leave the colony, and seek liberty and peace 
elsewhere. *We solemnly declare,' they said, 'that we 
leave this country with a desire to enjoy a quieter life than 
we have hitherto had. We will not molest any people or 
take from them the smallest thing. But if we are attacked 
we will defend ourselves as well as we can against every 
enemy. We quit this country feeling that the British 
Government has nothing more to ask of us, and will allow 
us to govern ourselves in future.' 

There was plenty of land to be had in Africa. For 
Tshaka in his cruel wars had swept bare large tracts, some 
of which were known to be very fertile. To this land the 
Boers made up their minds to go. 

Having made up their minds, they made haste to be 
gone. They sold their farms for little or nothing, loaded 
up their great ox-wagons with chairs, and tables, and beds, 
and the few simple household goods they could not do 
without. Then driving their flocks and herds before 
them, they slowly wound their way out of British 
territory. 

The Boers generally went in companies, twenty or 
thirty families joining together, and from their number 
they chose one to be their leader. Day by day they 
moved slowly along, so that the sheep and cattle should 
not get too tired. At night they outspanned (that is, 
took the oxen out of the wagons), wherever they might 
be, forming their wagons into a laager for safety. 

Sometimes when the grass was fresh and green the 
company would encamp for a week or more at a time to 
rest the flocks and herds. Then on again they travelled 
day by day, first through grass-covered country, where 



THE GREAT TREK 287 

rivers and streams flowed, and forest trees gave shade and 
shelter from the sun. Then through barren treeless 
wastes they went, where water was scarce and where the 
grass grew scant. Sometimes they climbed steep slopes, 
where it needed twenty or thirty oxen to draw the heavy 
wagons. Sometimes they crept along under the shadow 
of great blue hills, on and on over the seeming endless 
veldt. For there were no roads, and the bullock wagons 
wound along over the billov/ing plains Hke ships upon 
the sea. 

But many of these stern-faced, silent farmers who set 
forth in search of freedom never reached their journey's 
end. Over and over again they were surprised by savage 
tribes, and murdered without mercy. Others died of 
fever, and those who escaped both sickness and the spear 
of the savage, often lost all their cattle from the bite of 
the deadly tse-tse fly, and became Httle more than home- 
less beggars. 

The tse-tse is a South African fly with a deadly 
sting which kills tame animals, but does no harm to wild 
animals. Yet wlien the wild animals in a district are all 
killed or driven away the tse-tse vanishes too. It is 
still one of the enemies that the South African colonist 
has to fight. 

But in spite of all disasters, in spite of every difficulty 
and danger which met them on the way, the Boers con- 
tinued to stream out of the colony. In one of these slow 
moving caravans it is interesting to remember there was 
a small boy of eleven named Paul Kruger. 

The governor was in despair. He saw many of the 
best colonists go, but he could do nothing to stop them. 
It seemed as if the colony would be left without people. 
Yet there was no law to prevent people leaving a country 
if they wished. The only thing to be done was to try 



288 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

to make them so comfortable that they would not want 
to go. The governor, Sir Benjamin D'Urban, had done 
all that he could. He could not disobey his orders 
from home. So the Great Trek, as it came to be called, 
went on. 



CHAPTER IX 

DINGAAN'S TREACHERY 

The Boers wanted to get away from British rule, but 
they did not want to be shut out from the sea. So one 
party under a leader named Pieter Ketief resolved to 
settle in Natal. 

Natal was at this time under the power of Dingaan, 
the brother of the cruel chief Tshaka. It was part of the 
country laid waste by his wars. Retief felt that it would 
be well to make a treaty with this chief, and get leave 
from him before forming a colony in his land, and so he 
set out to pay a visit to Dingaan at his capital. 

For about fourteen years a few British traders had 
been settled in Natal. They had made a kind of treaty 
with Tshaka. He had granted them about a hundred 
miles of country round Port Natal, and they had founded 
a little town which they called D'Urban in honour of the 
governor of Cape Town. But this little settlement had 
never been acknowledged as a British colony, for again 
and again the British Government had said that they 
wished no more land in Africa. 

The British at Durban lived a wild life. The natives 
round about came to look upon them as chiefs, and they 
often helped them in their wars. When these white 
people heard that the Boers wanted to settle near they 
were quite pleased, and promised to do all that they 
could to help them. 



290 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Dingaan too seemed pleased, and received Retief and 
his comrades in the most friendly way. He treated them 
as honoured guests, and displayed before them all his 
savage splendour. There were sham fights, almost as 
fearful as real ones ; there was dancing and singing and 
feasting. 

When Retief told Dingaan why he had come, the 
chief replied that he would gladly allow the Boers to 
settle in his land, but first, to show their friendship, they 
must get back for him some cattle which had been stolen. 

This seemed an easy thing to do, for the Boers knew 
who had taken the cattle, so Retief agreed. Then he 
went back to tell the other farmers how well he had 
succeeded. With very little trouble they got Dingaan's 
stolen cattle back from the chief who had taken it, and 
then hundreds of wagons began to cross the Drakensberg 
range into the fertile land of Natal. 

There was plenty of room, and the farmers spread 
out over the plains, while Retief and about sixty of the 
best of the Boers, with thirty Hottentot servants, set 
off once more to visit Dingaan and deliver his cattle 
to him. 

Again Dingaan pretended to be glad to receive the 
Boers. Again there was dancing and feasting and great 
display of savage greatness. Then Dingaan asked a 
missionary who was there to draw up a writing saying 
that the place called Port Natal, together with all the 
land from the Tugela to the Umzimvubu River, and 
from the sea to the north as far as might be useful, was 
to be given to the Boers. 

The same land had already been given to the British 
traders at D 'Urban by Tshaka. But Dingaan had no 
care about that, for all that he wanted was to draw the 
Boers into a trap. 



DINGAAN'S TREACHERY 291 

But the Boers saw no trap. Everything continued 
to be as friendly as before. The paper was signed, and 
one morning Retief and his men prepared to leave. 
When all was ready, and their Hottentot servants had 
gone to saddle and bridle their horses, the farmers once 
more went to Dingaan's hut to say good-bye. Outside 
the kraal they piled their guns, for they had often been 
told that it was not proper to go into the presence of the 
king armed. 

They found Dingaan as usual surrounded by a great 
number of warriors, and as usual he received them 
kindly. He made them sit down, and bowls of native 
beer were brought so that they might drink a parting 
toast. 

Then suddenly, as the men sat laughing and talking 
and holding the bowls in their hands, Dingaan shouted, 
*Bulala matagati, bulala matagati,' which means *Kill 
the wizards.' The Zulu warriors then rushed upon the 
unarmed farmers, and before they could even draw their 
knives most of them were struck senseless by the Zulu 
clubs and bound. One or two managed to get out their 
knives, and fought bravely for their lives, but they were 
soon overpowered. Then, wounded and half dead, they 
were all dragged to a hill outside the kraal, and there 
cruelly put to death. The Hottentot servants, too, who 
were waiting with the horses, were surrounded and 
killed, and their bodies with those of their masters left 
to the wild beasts to devour. 

As soon as this horrible massacre was over, a great 
army of Zulus marched towards Natal bent on utterly 
destroying every white man, woman, and child. 

Swiftly and silently they crept onward through the 
land, till a few mornings later they reached the first 
encampment. 



292 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

It was early morning and no one was astir. In the 
little encampment all were peacefully sleeping. So sure 
were the Boers by this time of the friendly feeling of 
the natives, that the wagons were not even in laager, 
but were spread here and there wide over the plain. 

Suddenly the sleepers were awakened by the wild 
war-cry and terrible hiss of the Zulu warriors, the hiss 
as of a thousand snakes, with which they began battle. 
Almost in their sleep the Boers were murdered. No 
one was spared, neither woman nor child. Then when 
all were dead, the savages wreaked their wild rage on 
the wagons, smashing and burning them, and carrying 
off anything they fancied, as well as all the flocks and 
herds. Where the peaceful encampment had been, they 
left a waste of blood and ashes, a place of wailing. And 
when later the friends of the murdered people came 
there, and stood with tears in their eyes amid the 
wreckage and the dead, they named the place Weenen, 
the place of tears. And the little town which stands 
there to-day is still so called. 

Two men alone succeeded in escaping from the awful 
slaughter. They, flinging themselves on horseback, 
sped away over the veldt to warn other companies of 
farmers of the awful death that awaited them. And 
they, as soon as they heard the terrible news, formed 
their wagons into laagers and made ready to defend 
themselves as best they could. Scarcely were they ready, 
when the black hordes poured upon them. 

The Zulus swarmed in yelling thousands around the 
barricades of wagons, showering their spears upon the 
men within. But these grim, stern farmers fired steadily, 
ready to die rather than yield. Beside them stood the 
women quietly loading guns. They too were ready to 
die rather than yield. And if a black man, braver than 




BESIDE THEM STOOD THiS WOiVIEN QUIBi'LY LOADING GUNS.' 



DINGAAN'S TREACHERY 298 

his fellows, reached the wagons and tried to climb the 
barricade, he found himself struck down by an axe swung 
by a woman's hand. Even the children fought. ' Go 
and hide yourself,' said a mother to her little boy of ten. 
'I can't see any place where to hide,' he said, *give me 
a pistol and let me shoot too.' 

The Boers fought so well that from laager after laager 
the savages were driven back, until at length, disheart- 
ened, they marched away leaving many dead upon the field. 

Then the farmers who were left gathered together 
to decide what they should do. * Let us flee from the 
land,' said some. 

But the women would not hear of that. * We will 
never leave Natal,' they said, * until we have avenged the 
death of our dear ones.' And so they stayed. 

The news of the terrible slaughter soon spread, and 
other Boers, together with the British who had settled 
at Durban, came to help to fight Dingaan. But the 
white people were few, and the natives swarmed in 
thousands, and what was worse, the white people did 
not all fight together. Several wanted to be leaders, 
and were jealous of each other. So the war went on for 
months, and disaster after disaster fell upon the Boers. 

But at last, in December 1838, an army of nearly five 
hundred marched against Dingaan. There were no real 
soldiers among them, they were all farmers, but perhaps 
they were more like Cromwell's Ironsides than any 
soldiers that were ever seen. They were men of little 
learning, the Bible had often been their only lesson 
book, and they had the words of it constantly on their 
lips. No noise of laughter or merriment was to be heard 
in the camp, but morning and evening rose the sound of 
prayer and psalm-singing. It was as if a church had 
come out to do battle. 



294 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

On Sunday, 16th December, the great battle was 
fought. At five o'clock in the morning the Zulus 
attacked the Boer encampment, and for five hours or 
more the fight lasted. With savage bravery the black 
hordes flung themselves again and again against the 
barricades. As they came on they were mown down in 
hundreds by the deadly fire of the Boer guns. For 
hours they attacked, but at length they fled, and were 
pursued by the Boers till darkness fell. The slaughter 
was awful. The ground was piled with dead and 
dying, and sodden with blood, the very river ran so 
red that afterwards it was called the Blood River. More 
than three thousand Zulus lay upon the field, and many 
more perished in the chase, but not a white man was 
killed, and only three were wounded. In memory of 
this great victory, the 16th December was called 
Dingaan's day, and kept ever after as a hohday. 

After the fight the Boers moved on, and next day 
came to Dingaan's town. But they found it a smoking 
ruin, for the chief had set it on fire and fled. On the 
hill outside the town the Boers found the bleaching 
skeletons of their friends who had been murdered so 
many months before. They had not been touched since 
the day that they were thrown there. Although it was 
now little more than a skeleton, Retief's body was 
known by the clothes he wore and by a leathern pouch 
which he had carried. In it was found the treaty signed 
by the false Dingaan. 

Reverently and sadly the Boers buried the dead 
comrades they had come to avenge. Then having rested 
for a few days they set off" again to fight the savages. 
At length, having scattered them far and wide, they 
returned to Natal bringing with them many thousand 
cattle as spoil. 



DINGAAN'S TREACHERY 295 

The Boers now took possession of Natal and pro- 
claimed it to be a republic. The Dutch flag was 
hoisted, and the town of Pietermaritzburg founded. It 
was so called in honour of Pieter Retief and of Gerrit 
Maritz, another of the Boer leaders. 

But Dingaan was not yet beaten. He built him- 
self a new town, and waited quietly for a chance to 
swoop down upon the Boers. Meanwhile, however, he 
quarrelled with his brother Panda. Panda with many 
of his followers fled to Natal asking the Boers to help 
him. They were not sure at first that this might not 
be a trick. But Panda proved to them that he was in 
earnest, and so the Boers, joining him, once more 
marched to attack Dingaan. Another battle took place 
in which Dingaan was utterly beaten, and was forced to 
flee with the remnant of his army to hide in the fastnesses 
of the north. There he was soon killed by another 
savage tribe. 

The Boers then proclaimed Panda king. But he 
was only a vassal king. He was really under the Boers 
and had little power. So at last there was peace once 
more between Kaffir and white man. 



CHAPTER X 

THE WAR OF THE AXE 

Mf. AN WHILE another enemy had risen against the Boers. 
While the fight with the natives was still going on, a 
British officer with a Highland regiment arrived at 
Durban. He took possession of the town in the name 
of Queen Victoria, who had just come to the throne. 
The Boers, however, would not admit that this officer 
had any right to interfere with them. There was no 
fighting. The British officer simply told the Boers that 
they were still British subjects, and they went on acting 
as an independent nation. At last the British officer 
and his soldiers sailed away and went back to the Cape. 
And although the governor there still kept on saying 
that * Her ^lajesty could not acknowledge the indepen- 
dence of her own subjects,' the Boers were left alone, 
and they believed that they should always be left alone 
to rule themselves as they pleased. 

So for a time the Boers did rule themselves. But 
they were for the most part ignorant men. They knew 
no history, they knew nothing of how other countries 
were ruled, and got most of their ideas from the Bible. 
So really there was very little government at aU, and 
most men did as they chose. There was a good deal of 
quarrelling and jealousy, too, among them. 

At last, for various reasons, of which it would take 
too long to tell, the British Government decided to force 



THE WAR OF THE AXE 297 

the Boers to own themselves British subjects once 
more. So again an officer and troops were sent to 
Durban. 

When the officer arrived, the Boers told him that he 
must go, for they were now under the protection of 
Holland. This was not true, but at the time the Boers 
really believed that the Dutch would help them against 
the British. So little did they know of what was going 
on in Europe that they thought that Holland was still 
the great state it had been two hundred years before. 
They could not believe that it had sunk to a small state, 
and that the King of Holland had no power to help them 
even if he would. 

But the British officer refused to go. * I shall not 
go, I shall stay,' he replied, and fighting began. 

At first the Boers had the best of the fighting. But 
more soldiers were sent from Cape Town. Then many 
of the farmers, already tired of fighting, went back to 
their farms. And at last, after a great deal of talking 
and trouble, the Boers owned themselves once more 
British subjects. This was in August 1843, nine years 
after the Great Trek began. 

But although they had been forced to own themselves 
British subjects, many of the Boers were as determined 
as ever not to live under British rule. They trekked 
away again, so that by the end of 1843 there were not 
more than five hundred Boer famihes in all Xatal. In 
spite of all the suffering that they had endured they 
were ready to endure as much again, rather than live under 
a rule they hated. Some went to the part now known as 
the Transvaal, and some to what is now the Orange River 
colony. 

Meanwhile the British had begun to make treaties 
with the natives who lived in the country bordering on 



298 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Cape Colony. By these treaties some of the native chiefs 
were recognised as kings over great stretches of land to 
which they had no claim at all. But the British seemed to 
think that they had some claim, and that by acknowledg- 
ing them as kings they would be sure of a line of friendly 
states between Cape Colony and the wilder tribes of the 
north. It would also, they thought, help to cut off the 
Boers from trade, and force them to come back to the 
colony. 

One of these chiefs claimed the Orange River district 
into which some of the Boers had trekked, and new 
trouble began. For although the British recognised the 
natives as a free people, living under their own chief, 
they still looked upon the Boers as British subjects who 
were now living under a black king, and bound to obey 
his rule. This made the Boers angry, and they refused 
to obey these puppet kings, who before the treaties had 
really been of very little importance and who never 
could have been powerful without the help of the 
British. 

A quarrel soon arose in which the British sided with 
the natives. There was a little skirmish (for it could 
hardly be called a battle) at a place called Zwartkopjies, 
in which the Boers were beaten. After that, most of 
the farmers gave in, and swore again to become British 
subjects. But some stUl would not take the oath. 
Rather than do that, they trekked away again to join 
their fellows in the Transvaal, and for a little time there 
was peace in that part of the country. 

But about this time a new war with the Kaffirs began 
on the eastern border of Cape Colony. This was called 
the War of the Axe, because of the way in which it 
began. 

A Kaffir stole an axe, and with some other prisoners 



THE WAR OF THE AXE 299 

he was sent to Grahamstown to be tried. But on the 
way, Kaffirs swooped down upon the party, killed one of 
the guards, and carried off the man who had stolen the axe. 

The governor then sent to the head of the tribe 
ordering him to give up the thief and the murderers. 
But the chief refused. Upon that the governor decided 
that he must force the chief to obey. The guard who 
had been killed, although a Hottentot, was a British 
subject, and the crime had been committed within the 
borders of the British colony. The chief must be made 
to see that such things could not be done in British 
territory. Year by year, too, the raids of the Kaffirs upon 
the farms of the colonists had been growing worse and 
worse, for each time that they were left unpunished they 
grew bolder. The governor hoped to put an end to that 
too, and so war began. 

But at first the war was badly managed. An enormous 
train of baggage and stores fell into the hands of the 
Kaffirs. Then they, exulting in their success, poured in 
swarms into the colony. There, as was their custom, they 
drove off the cattle, burned the houses and destroyed 
everything that they could not carry away. But this 
time the farmers were not unprepared. They gathered 
together into fortified posts, and few were killed, though 
many lost all they had, for they were obliged to leave their 
farms to the mercy of the savages. 

On and on over the colony the black hordes swept, 
leaving a track of ruin and desolation behind them. But 
against them gathered a far larger army than had ever 
been seen in South Africa before, both of regular soldiers 
and of farmers. The great difficulty, however, was not so 
much finding people to fight as finding means of feeding 
and clothing them. For there were few roads and no 
trains at all. It was difficult to carry inland all the food 



300 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

that was needed for a great host when there were only 
bullock wagons in which to carry it, and at times the 
army came near being starved. 

For nearly two years the war dragged on. Then the 
Kaffirs grew tired of the fight, and peace was made, but 
the savages were not by any means subdued. 

Sir Harry Smith now became governor of the Cape. 
He was that Captain Smith who had ridden so far and so 
fast at the time of the sixth Kaffir war. He soon saw 
that the British treaties with the black peoples along the 
borders of Cape Colony had proved worse than useless, 
and he made up his mind to do away with them. 

Part of the land from the eastern boundary of the 
colony to the sea he proclaimed to be British Kaffraria. 
This land was not annexed to the Cape, it was, he said, 
to be kept entirely for the blacks, but it was declared to 
be under the rule of Queen Victoria, and the governor of 
Cape Colony was to be the Great Chief, whom all the 
other chiefs were bound to obey. 

Next Sir Harry made a proclamation adding all the land 
between the Orange and the Vaal rivers to the British 
dominion. This he called the Orange River Sovereignty, 
and all the white people living in that part were declared 
to be British subjects. 

But the Boers who lived there resolved not to give up 
their independence without a struggle. They had suffered 
a great deal in order to be free, so as soon as Sir Harry 
went back to the Cape they rose in rebellion, under 
Andries Pretorius. The British officer who had been 
left to govern the new Sovereignty could do nothing. 
He had only a few Hottentot soldiers and about a dozen 
raw recruits. He gave in at once, and Pretorius and his 
men marched the British officers out of the country and 
set them across the river into Cape Colony. 



THE WAR OF THE AXE 301 

But as soon as Sir Harry Smith heard the news he 
gathered an army and came marching against Pretorius 
with about eight hundred men. 

At a place called Boomplaatz the two armies met and 
fought. For three hours the battle lasted, both sides 
fighting bravely, but at length the Boers were beaten. 
They were not strong enough or united enough to fight 
longer, so Sir Harry again proclaimed Queen Victoria's 
rule over the land. Many of the farmers then settled down 
quietly once more, but others trekked away and joined 
their comrades across the Vaal beyond British territory. 
Pretorius was among these. He was made an outlaw 
with the price of £2000 upon his head. But across the 
Vaal he lived freely and openly, no one trying to attack 
or take him prisoner. 



CHAPTER XI 

THE WRECK OF THE ♦BIRKENHEAD' 

But while the governor was claiming great lands and 
adding them to British rule, the colonists had another 
trouble to face and fight. For about this time the 
British Government began to find it more and more diffi- 
cult to know what to do with their convicts. Australia 
wanted no more, Tasmania wanted no more. So at last 
they decided to found a convict colony at the Cape. 
There, roads and harbours and many other public works 
were needed, all of which could be built by convicts. 

But when the Cape colonists heard of what the 
British Government meant to do, they all, Boer and 
British alike, began to object. They would not have 
convicts in the colony, and they wrote home telling 
the British that they would not have them. They 
had great meetings, they protested and petitioned, but 
the British Government took no notice of all that the 
colonists said and did. They had made up their minds, 
and on the 19th of September 1849 a ship with a number 
of convicts on board anchored opposite Cape Town. 

As soon as it became known that the ship was 
there, a kind of terror and dismay seized the people. 
Hither and thither through the streets they hurried, 
anxious and excited. The church bells were toUed, 
meetings were held. The colonists solemnly swore that 
they would have nothing to do with the ship and her crew, 

S02 



THE WRECK OF THE ' BIRKENHEAD ' 308 

and they wrote to the governor telling him that it must 
be sent away. * The convicts must not, cannot, and 
shall not be landed,' they said. 

Sir Harry Smith was on the side of the colonists, and 
he would not let the convicts land. But he had no power 
to order them to go anywhere else. So the ship remained 
anchored in the bay, while the captain sent to England 
asking what he was to do. There were no telegraphs to 
Africa in those days, so for five months the ship lay there, 
waiting orders. During all that time the people on board 
found it hard to get enough to eat. For the colonists 
were so bitter against them that they would not even sell 
them food. And when it was discovered that the com- 
manding officer of the garrison was sending food to the 
convict ship, the farmers and traders refused to sell to 
him, so that the soldiers came near starving too. At 
last, to the joy of every one, a letter came from home 
telling the ship to go on to Tasmania, and land the con- 
victs there. Thus ended the attempt to make the Cape 
a convict station. 

Hardly was this trouble over when another war with 
the Kaffirs broke out. Ever since British Kaffiraria had 
been made a state and brought under British rule, 
many of the chiefs there had been restless. For the 
British rulers had tried to put down some of their old 
savage customs, and the Kaffirs did not like that 
at all. 

The Kaffirs believed that all kinds of misfortunes 
came upon them through wizards and witches, and every 
tribe had a * witch-finder,' whose duty it was to * smell 
out' these witches. When any misfortune came upon 
them, the tribe was called together. Then the witch 
doctor, fearfully painted and adorned with all kinds 
of terrible savage grandeur, rushed about among them. 



304 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Trembling and anxious, the people stood waiting, each 
man knowing that his life was unsafe, until the witch 
doctor, pointing to one among them, accused him of 
being the cause of all the trouble. Then the poor 
wretch, who had no more to do with it than you 
or I, wa5 seized, tortured, and killed without more 
ado. 

The British forbade this •'smelling out' of witches, 
much to the ^T^ath of the Kaffirs, and they became so 
angry that it needed very little to make them fight 
again. So when a witch doctor began to tell the people 
that he could give them a charm that would make the 
white man's bullets turn to water and do no harm, they 
thronged in hundreds to him. Then beheviiig that gims 
had no power against them, they became more bold m 
their attacks. 

At tii-st, however, the governor would not believe that 
the Kaffirs meant war. But at last there could be no 
doubt about it, the savages attacked and destroyed three 
\'illages just within the border of the colony, and a 
terrible war was begun which lasted two years. 

The Kaffirs were not easily beaten, and many new 
soldiers were sent from home to help in the fight. Some 
of those never landed in South Afiica, yet we remember 
them as heroes who kept theu- Colours without spot or 
stain. For it was while on its way to Africa that the 
Bi?-ke?ihcad went do"s^Ti. 

Sailing through the dark night on its way to Algoa 
Bay, the ship struck on a rock near a point called Danger 
Point. It struck with such force that the whole ship 
was shivered from stem to stern, and in a moment the 
water rushed in on every side. 

So fast did the water rush in that many of the men 
who were sleeping on the lower deck were drowned 



THE WRECK OF THE ' BIRKENHEAD ' 305 

before they could leap from their beds. Every one who 
could scrambled on deck as quickly as possible, while a 
terrible strange cry of fear rose in the darkness, for there 
were many women and children on board. It was 
seen at once that there was no hope of saving the ship, 
that indeed great speed must be used to save the women 
and children, for there were not boats enough for all. 
But although the decks were crowded there was no 
confusion. The soldiers quietly formed in companies, 
and stood waiting, as cool and calm as upon a parade 
ground, while the women and children were being put 
into the boats. 

While this was being done, some of the soldiers let 
loose the horses and threw them into the water. For 
though the bay was swarming with sharks, and the shore 
too far off for even the strongest swimmer to reach it, 
it was hoped that some of the poor animals might be 
able to swim as far, and so save themselves. 

Amid the sobs of women, some of whom were leaving 
their husbands and their sons behind, and the cries of 
frightened children who knew not what was happening, 
the boats were filled. But the ship was sinking fast. 
There was not the shghtest hope that the boats could reach 
the shore and return in time to save the men. Yet not 
a soldier stirred. Calmly and quietly they awaited 
certain death. It was harder, this, than facing cannon, 
harder than charging a savage foe. To die fighting, that 
were easy I But to have this courage to be stiQ, to stand 
shoulder to shoulder, in the cold grey fight of dawn, to 
feel beneath their feet the boards heave and sink, to see 
the cruel waves creep upward, and the black hideous 
monsters await their prey — that was hard. 

And so four hundred heroes stood to meet their 
death. The boats with the women and children were 

u 



306 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

scarcely at a safe distance when the ship went to pieces 
and every man went down. A few only, clinging to 
floating spars and bits of wreckage, reached the shore. 

The brave who died, 
Died without flinching in the bloody surf, 
They sleep as well beneath that purple tide 
As others under turf. 

They sleep as well ! and, roused from their wild grave. 
Wearing their wounds like stars, shall rise again. 
Joint-heirs with Christ, because they bled to save 
His weak ones, not in vain. 

If that day's work no clasp or medal mark ; 
If each proud heart no cross of bronze may press. 
Nor cannon thunder loud from Tower or Park, 
This feel we none the less : — 

That those whom God's high grace there saved from ill. 
Those also left His martyrs in the bay. 
Though not by siege, though not in battle, still 
Full well had earned their pay. 



CHAPTER XII 

THE FOUNDING OF TWO REPUBLICS 

While the eighth Kaffir war was being fought there 
was trouble in the Orange River Sovereignty too. 
Moshesh, a great Basuto chief, claimed part of the 
Sovereignty. He was one of those chiefs with whom the 
British had made treaties, and thus from being a petty 
chief he had risen to great power. But now that those 
treaties had been done away with, Moshesh saw his power 
again grow less and less. Then, although still pretending 
to be friendly with the British, he began to quarrel and 
fight with some other chiefs, hoping in the long-run to 
be able to throw off British rule. Major Warden, who 
had been left to govern the Sovereignty, tried at first by 
peaceful means to quiet Moshesh. But when that failed 
he marched against him with an army. 

But in a battle at Viervoet Moshesh defeated Major 
Warden, and after that he gave up all pretence of friend- 
ship for the British and became an open enemy. There 
were still some farmers in the Sovereignty who did not 
like the British, although most of these had crossed 
the Vaal after the battle of Boomplaatz. Now these 
farmers made a treaty with Moshesh. They promised not 
to fight against him, and he on his side promised not to 
attack them. And this promise Moshesh kept, for 
although he wasted and destroyed the British settlers' 
farms, he left the Boers alone. 

SOT 



808 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

After a little Moshesh and the Boers wrote to 
Pretorius and asked him to come with his farmers from 
beyond the Vaal and help them to fight the British. 
Pretorius, however, did not come. Instead he wrote to 
Major Warden telling him that he had been asked to 
come to help the people of the Orange River Sovereignty 
to revolt, but that he would rather make peace with the 
British Government, if the British would acknowledge 
that the Boers beyond the Vaal were a free people. 

Major Warden sent this letter on to the governor, 
for he had no power to answer it. The governor did 
not want to acknowledge the independence of the Boers, 
but he could not help himself. He must either yield 
to the demand or fight. He could not fight, for he had 
not a man to spare from the Kaflfir war which was still 
raging on the eastern borders of Cape Colony. If the 
Boers from beyond the Vaal joined with those who were 
already discontented in the Sovereignty, there would be 
an end of British rule there. 

So seeing nothing else for it, the governor made up 
his mind to acknowledge the independence of the Boers 
beyond the Vaal. And on 17th January 1852, a treaty 
known as the Sand River Convention was signed. By 
this treaty the British gave up all rule over the Boers 
north of the Vaal and acknowledged their right to 
manage their own affairs. Then those of the Orange 
River farmers who still disliked British rule trekked over 
the border to join their comrades. And thus at last 
after years of wandering and struggle the Boers gained 
their end, and the South African Republic was founded. 
Pretorius became the first president of the new republic, 
and gave his name to the capital Pretoria. 

Moshesh had now no more help from the Boers, but 
he still continued to fight, and although the British 



THE FOUNDING OF TWO REPUBLICS 309 

officials remained in the Sovereignty the savages did 
very much as they Uked. But as soon as the governor 
could spare soldiers from the war in Kaffraria, he sent 
them to fight Moshesh. 

The wily chief, however, by this time was growing 
anxious for peace. He saw that now that the Boers had 
got what they wanted, there was no longer any hope of 
help from them. As the war in Kaffraria was over, 
he knew that more and more soldiers would be sent 
against him. At present he was the real conqueror. 
If he fought more he might be beaten. So thinking of 
all these things, he went to a missionary and asked him 
to write a letter begging for peace. 

' Your Excellency,' he said, * this day you have 
fought against my people and have taken much cattle. 
I beg you will be satisfied with what you have taken. 
I entreat peace from you — you have shown your power 
— you have chastised. Let it be enough, I pray you. 
Let me no longer be considered an enemy of the Queen. 
I will try all I can to keep my people in order in the 
future.* 

So wrote the wily Moshesh, pretending to be very 
humble, but not really humble in the least. At first, 
however, no one could be found willing to carry the 
letter to the British camp. But at last a man was found 
who, waving a white flag, took it to the governor. 

The governor on his side was very glad to have a 
good excuse for making peace. The Basutos were 
far stronger and better drilled than he had expected. 
To beat them would take a long time, and he did not 
want to begin another long war. For although Moshesh 
wrote so humbly the governor knew quite well that he 
was not really beaten. But that he should pretend was 
enough, and the governor resolved to make peace. 



310 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Many of the officers, however, were very angry. So 
were the white people and the natives who had helped 
the British. They all wanted to fight Moshesh until he 
was really beaten. But the governor would listen to 
none of them. He proclaimed peace, and marched back 
to Cape Colony as fast as he could, leaving only a 
garrison of three hundred men at Bloemfontein, the 
capital of the Sovereignty. 

By this time the people at home had become 
thoroughly tired of all the wars in South Africa. And 
they made up their minds that the Orange River 
Sovereignty was not worth all the blood and money 
that it had cost, and was likely still to cost. So now a 
message came from home saying that *Her Majesty's 
Government had decided to withdraw from the Orange 
River Sovereignty.' And on the 23rd of February 
1854, by the Convention of Bloemfontein the Orange 
River Sovereignty was changed into the Orange Free 
State, and the people were declared to be free to manage 
their own country and rule themselves. 

About this time too, a change was made in the Cape 
government. The colonists were no longer ruled by the 
British Parliament, but chose their own rulers. In 
June 1854, the first Cape Parliament met. 

So now there were five states in South Africa. These 
were Cape Colony, Natal and British Kaffraria under 
British rule, and the South African Republic and the 
Orange Free State, independent countries. 



CHAPTER XIII 

THE STORY OF A FALSE PROPHET 

After the eighth Kaffir war was over the governor 
hoped that he had made a lasting peace with the 
natives. But they were really ready to fight again as 
soon as they saw a chance, although Sir George Grey, 
who was now governor, did his best to prevent war and 
make the people happier. 

Among many other things Sir George built a large 
hospital where black people might come when they were 
ill. He did this hoping to stop the belief in witch doctors 
and the terrible cruel habit of * smelling out ' witches. 
Many Kaffirs did come to the hospital, and some of them 
were so pleased and grateful that they wrote to Queen 
Victoria to thank her. 

* I am very thankful to you, dearest Queen Victoria,' 
wrote one, * because you have sent for me a good doctor 
and a clever man. I was sixteen years blind, Mother 
and Queen, and now I see. I see everything. I can see 
the stars, and the moon, and the sun. I used to be led 
before, but now, Mother, O Queen I I am able to walk 
myself. Let God bless you as long as you live on 
earth. Let God bless Mother. Thou must not be tired 
to bear our weaknesses, O Queen Victoria I ' 

But although the hospital did much good, a great 
witch doctor had meanwhile arisen who did much harm. 
He was so powerful and so clever that the people 

811 



312 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

believed in him more than ever, for he told them that 
he had seen and talked with strange beings who were 
the everlasting enemies of the White Man. They had 
come, he said, from battlefields far across the ocean to 
help the Kaffirs. They were very powerful spirits, against 
whom none could stand, and if the Kaffirs only obeyed 
them, the White Men would soon all be driven into 
the sea. 

But, said the prophet, if the Kaffirs wished to be 
free they must obey the commands of these great spirits. 
They must kill and eat all their cattle, they must destroy 
all the grain they had, they must leave their fields and 
gardens untilled. And when all this was done at a day 
appointed, a new world would begin. The gardens 
would then spring to fresh and undreamt-of beauty; 
corn would suddenly start from the ground, waving, 
golden, ripe for harvest; herds of cattle, such as never 
before had been seen, would come thundering over the 
plains. Never more would the Kaffirs know pain, or 
sorrow, or suffering. Every joy that they could imagine 
would be theirs. As for the White Man, he would be 
swept into the sea, and go down for ever into dark- 
ness. 

All Kaffirland went mad with joy and excitement. 
With such a fairyland in promise they made haste to 
kill and eat as they had been commanded. Everywhere 
there was feasting and revelling. And as they feasted 
and grew fat the Kaffir pride grew great. They looked 
upon the White Man with haughty hate mingled with 
savage joy, for soon these pale faces were to be swept 
into the sea, and the Kaffir was once more to be lord in 
the land, a land made glorious. 

As the days passed and the destruction of cattle went 
on, the excitement grew wilder and wilder. Many 



THE STORY OF A FALSE PROPHET 313 

Kaffirs spent their time making huge skin bags from the 
hides of the slaughtered animals. These bags were to 
hold the immense quantities of milk which they expected 
from the fabled herds. Others built great kraals in 
which to pen the flocks and herds which were to swarm 
upon the earth in numbers greater than the stars of 
heaven. But even before the work was done and the 
great day came, hundreds were starving. The herds 
were all slain, the com all eaten or destroyed, and the 
fields and gardens lay barren, and so, with hunger and 
excitement, many went mad. 

At length the long-looked-for day was near. The 
night before the great dawn, the Kaffirs shut themselves 
into their huts, and spent the hours of darkness in 
trembling, impatient watching. When morning was 
near they came forth in wild excitement, expecting to 
see not one, but two, blood-red suns rise glorious in 
the east. 

But the dawn was dim and misty. Breathlessly the 
people waited and watched. Slowly, slowly the sun 
rose above the hills, casting a pale yellow light around. 
Slowly there mounted into the sky one pale yellow ball, 
not two, nor blood-red. 

Then there was heard a cry of agony, ' We are 
deceived ! we are deceived I ' 

* Nay,' said some, * have patience, at midday we shall 
see the marvel.' 

But midday came, and passed, and the golden sun 
sank to evening in the west, and not in the east as had 
been foretold. Still there was no sound of hoof, no 
thunder of coming cattle, no rustle on the earth of 
yellow corn ripe for harvest, no darkness and death for 
the hated White Man. Then wild exultation was 
followed by wilder wailing, and the madness of despair. 



314 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

A whole nation was starving, and they had them- 
selves destroyed their food. By their own act they had 
brought famine and barrenness upon the land. From 
end to end the country was fiUed with hopeless agony 
and clamour, it was one wild cry for food. Men killed 
each other for a handful of roots, a mouthful of bread, 
mothers snatched the food from their children's mouths. 
The great milk sacks so joyfully prepared were torn 
to pieces and fought for. Father and son, mother and 
daughter, strove with each other for scraps ; mercy and 
kindness were forgotten. 

Hundreds of starving wretches poured into Cape 
Colony, imploring help from the very white men that 
they had hoped to see driven forth with fearful slaughter. 
It was said that this was what the Kaffir chiefs wanted, 
that they had spread the wonderful tales on purpose, 
thinking that when the people were mad with hunger 
they would swarm over the colony destroying aU that 
came in their way. But if this was so the plan faUed 
utterly. For the people were too weak to do more than 
crawl and beg. 

The British had known how the dream must end, and 
they had prepared for it. Great stores of food had been 
gathered, and now they were able to help many of the 
famishing wretches, sending them, when they were fit, 
to work on the farms. But thousands died of hunger 
and of the terrible diseases that hunger brings, before 
they reached even the borders of the colony. They 
fell by the wayside as they staggered along, they lay 
down to rest and never rose, till the plains of Kaffraria 
were whitened with the bones of thirty thousand 
skeletons. 

By this slaughter of hunger, great tracts of land 
were left desolate, and Sir George Grey sent white 



THE STORY OF A FALSE PROPHET 315 

settlers to take the place of the dead Kaffirs, so that 
the bounds of the colony were extended. Among these 
new settlers were a great many Germans. Durmg the 
Crimean War Great Britain had raised some German 
regiments to help them, and when the war was over 
these soldiers were given farms in South Africa. Other 
Germans came too, and proved very good colonists. 
And as British KafFraria had thus become fuU of white 
people, it was thought better to add it to Cape Colony. 
This was done in 1865. 



CHAPTER XIV 

A STORY ABOUT A PRETTY STONE 

As years went on South Africa became more and more 
important for its trade and commerce. First wool- 
bearing sheep had been brought to the country, and 
the trade in wool had grown large. Then the strip 
of land along the eastern coast of Natal had been found 
to be so warm and fertile that sugar-cane, tea, coffee, 
arrowroot, and all kinds of tropical plants would grow 
easily there. So there a trade grew up especially in 
sugar. There was also a great deal of trade done in 
ostrich feathers. But as more and more colonists came, 
and more and more land was cultivated, the wild ostriches 
disappeared, and the trade was almost lost. Then it was 
found possible to tame ostriches, so ostrich farms sprang 
up in South Africa just as sheep farms might elsewhere. 
And now, added to all these a new and wonderful in- 
dustry arose, one that we have grown to think of as 
belonging more than any other to the Cape. I mean 
diamond mining. 

One day in 1867 a farmer paid a visit to another 
farmer who lived near where the rivers Vaal and Orange 
join. There the children were playing with some pretty 
stones that they had found along the river banks. The 
farmer was very much taken with these stones. One 
of them especially he admired, for it seemed to him to 

shine in a wonderful way. As he liked this stone so 

8ie 



A STORY ABOUT A PRETTY STONE 317 

much the children's mother gave it to him. The farmer 
took the stone home, and a little while after he showed it 
to another friend who was a trader. The trader at once 
said that he was sure the pretty stone was a diamond, 
and asked to be allowed to take it to Grahamstown. So 
the stone was taken first to Grahamstown and then to 
Cape Town to be shown to people who knew about such 
things. They said that it was a very good diamond, 
and soon this stone which the children had played with 
and tossed about in fun was sold for £500. Half of this 
money you will be glad to know was given to the children's 
mother. 

The story about the pretty stone soon became known, 
but at first few people came to look for diamonds, for no 
one really believed that there were diamond mines in 
South Africa. They thought that an ostrich, which 
swallows all kinds of things, had brought the stone from 
far away, or that it had come there by some accident or 
another. But soon other diamonds were found. One 
man found one sticking in the mud of which the walls 
of his house were made. The farmer who had got the 
stone the children were playing with heard that a native 
witch doctor had a curious stone which he used as a 
charm. The farmer went to this witch doctor and 
bought the stone for some herds of sheep and cattle, and 
it turned out to be a splendid diamond. This diamond 
became known as the Star of South Africa, and was 
sold for £11,000. 

Then as the news of diamond finding spread, people 
came from all parts of Africa, and then from all parts 
of the world, eager to share in the search. 

The place where the diamonds were found had always 
been looked upon as rather a desert, and hardly any one 
had lived there. Now day by day more and more people 



318 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

thronged the district. Towns sprang up as if by magic, 
towns of tents and wagons. Along the river banks, where 
a few months before there had been no sign of man, where 
there had been no sound except the cry of wild beasts and 
birds, was now heard all day long the sound of pick and 
shovel and the rattle of cradles, as the pans in which the 
diamonds were washed were called. 

The tented towns moved from place to place. As 
soon as it was known that diamonds had been found 
in one spot men rushed there, leaving their last camping 
ground a desert once more. For a time the workings 
were only along the river banks. Then came news that 
far richer mines had been found some way from the river, 
and men rushed in thousands to the dry diggings, as they 
were called. 

Here four mines were found, all within two miles of 
each other. The names of two have become familiar to 
every one — Kimberley and De Beers. 

At Kimberley a town soon sprang up, first a town of 
tents and then of ugly corrugated iron houses. Streets 
and squares were laid out, shops, schools, hotels, churches, 
theatres, all appeared one after the other, until in three 
years Kimberley was the second largest town in South 
Africa. It was a town, too, very different from any of 
the others. The people in South Africa were for the 
most part farmers, rising early, going to bed early, leading 
a simple country life. Now at Kimberley were gathered 
all manner of people, clerks, labourers, students, shop- 
keepers, broken-down gentlemen, soldiers, sailors, all 
eager for diamonds and wealth. So the life there was 
very different from the life on the farms. In the country 
a man's nearest neighbour would be three or four miles 
away at least. For months at a time he would see no 
one except his own family, perhaps twice a year he would 



A STORY ABOUT A PRETTY STONE 319 

make a journey to the nearest town to go to church and 
buy some clothes. But at the diamond mines a man 
worked all day long with hundreds beside him, and when 
the day's work was over the evenings were spent in merri- 
ment and laughter, such as the grave farmers knew nothing 
of. Had it not been for the diamond fields perhaps no 
town would have stood where Kimberley now stands, for 
it is one of the most desolate parts of South Africa. The 
land round it was treeless and barren. It was badly 
watered. At first even water to drink had to be brought 
in carts long distances. Then when the town grew large, 
wells were sunk, but for a long time no good water could 
be found. But besides the want of water the miners had 
to endure many hardships. Kimberley is hot and wind- 
swept. Fine yellow dust seemed to fill the air, making 
it difficult to breathe. At times there would be terrible 
dust storms, for the wind caught up the sandy dust which 
was always being thrown out of the mines, whirling and 
scattering it till the sky grew dark and it became impos- 
sible to work in the dust-laden air. The flies, too, were 
a torment, everywhere they swarmed thickly. 

There were hardly any railways in Africa at this time, 
so everything had to be carried to Kimberley in bullock 
carts, and as Kimberley is five hundred miles from the 
sea everything was very dear. Green vegetables were 
hardly to be had, and sugar was two and sixpence a 
pound. Many people fell ill from the heat, and dust, 
and dirt, but yet in spite of all discomfort the diggers 
worked on cheerfully, some making fortunes, others losing 
all that they had. 

Among those who came to try their fortunes in the 
mines was a young man named Cecil Rhodes. He was 
a very clever man, and it was through him that nearly 
all the diamond mines were joined into one great com- 



320 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

pany, now known as the De Beers Consolidated Mines, 
which has become one of the most powerful companies 
in the world. 

But while hundreds of men were working, digging and 
sifting all day long for diamonds, the rulers of the various 
states round began to quarrel as to which of them the 
diamond mines really belonged. 

The South African Republic claimed them, the Orange 
Free State claimed them, and Andries Waterboer, a 
Griqua, also claimed them. The Griquas were a kind of 
half- cast tribe, and as Andries Waterboer saw little chance 
of making people listen to his claim, he gave up his rights 
to the British Government. 

The three governments could not agree, so it was 
decided that Mr. Keate, the Lieutenant-Governor of Natal, 
should be asked to decide as to who had the best right to 
the land upon which the mines were. He decided that 
Waterboer had the best claim, and so, in 1871, the diamond 
mines were declared to be British. This decision is known 
as the Keate Award. 

The Keate Award made the people both of the Orange 
Free State and of the South African Republic very angry. 
But they had to submit, and the British took possession of 
the mines, and of the land claimed by Waterboer. This 
land was not at first added to Cape Colony, but was kept as 
a separate state and called Griqualand West. 

A short time after this a British judge was sent to 
settle some quarrels about farms, and while he was 
settling this he found out that Waterboer had had no real 
right to Griqualand West, but that it had really belonged 
to the Orange Free State. 

When this became known, Mr. Brand, the President 
of the Orange Free State, went to England to put his 
claim before the British Parliament. * You took this land 



A STORY ABOUT A PRETTY STONE 321 

with the diamond fields from us,' he said, 'because it had 
belonged to Waterboer. Now your own judge has decided 
that Waterboer had no right to it. Surely in justice you 
must return it to us.' 

The British, however, found that this would be very 
difficult to do, for various reasons. So they offered 
President Brand £90,000 to make up for the loss ot the 
mines This President Brand and the Volksraad, as the 
Parliament of the Orange Free State was called, accepted, 
and both sides were pleased. For although the Orange 
Free State had lost the mines, the fact that they were so 
near the border of the state brought a great deal of trade. 
And in Kimberley the Free-Staters found a good market 
for everything that they could produce. Besides this, the 
£90 000 gave them money with which to build roads and 
bridges and make many improvements in their country. 
So the Orange Free State became more prosperous than 
it had ever been before. 



CHAPTER XV 

FACING FEARFUL ODDS 

But while the Orange Free State was prospering, the 
South African RepubHc was full of strife and trouble. 
The country was badly ruled. The Boers quarrelled 
among themselves, and were often at war with the 
natives. They had no money, they had no trade. The 
farmers, indeed, had enough to live on, but the govern- 
ment had no money to spend on the country. They 
had nothing with which to make roads or railways or 
bridges, for no one paid their taxes, some because they 
could not, others because they would not. The country 
became a refuge, too, for wild, bad men who wanted to 
live without law or restraint, and they made the con- 
fusion worse. 

News of the vdld turmoil of the South African 
Republic at last reached England. There it was said 
that the Boers had shown that they could not govern 
themselves, that they ill-treated the natives, that slavery 
was allowed. All sorts of stories were told, until people 
began to beheve that the Republic was not only a 
disgrace to civilised people, but a danger to peaceful 
neighbours. It was also said that the RepubHc was 
trying to get a port on Delagoa Bay. That, of course, 
might hurt British trade. 

So Sir Theophilus Shepstone was sent to talk to the 
Boer people and see what could be done. Many of the 



FACING FEARFUL ODDS 323 

Boers were very tired of misrule, and Sir Theopliilus was 
received with great rejoicing, although the people did 
not know what he had come to say or do. After a 
little time, however, he told the President that if he did 
not govern his country better he would be obliged to 
declare it a British possession. 

To this, of course, most of the Boers objected. They 
wanted to have nothing to do with British rule. But 
they were weak, they were not united, and so on 
12th April 1877 the South African Republic was 
declared to be at an end. The Union Jack was hoisted 
at Pretoria, and the name of the country was changed 
to the Transvaal, which means across the Vaal. Then 
at once British troops poured into the country, and 
took possession of the chief towns. 

The state of the Transvaal had been bad enough, but 
in spite of that the farmers would not have British rule. 
They wanted to be left alone to govern their own 
country well or ill as they liked. Twice they sent 
messengers to England begging that Sir Tlieophilus 
Shepstone's proclamation might be recalled and their 
freedom given back to them. But the British Govern- 
ment would not listen, and the Union Jack contmued 
to float over Pretoria. 

One of the reasons that Sir Theophilus had given 
for annexing the Transvaal was that the Zulus were 
ready to fight the Boers — that indeed they were only kept 
m check by British power. The Boers did not beheve 
that, but very soon a Zulu war did break out. It was, 
however, more against Natal than against the Trans- 
vaal. 

Panda, you remember, had been recognised as king 
of the Zulus by the Boers after Dingaan's death. He 
too was now dead, and his son Cetywayo ruled. 



324 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Cetywayo was a clever and warlike savage, more like 
Tshaka and Dingaan than like Panda, and under him the 
Zulu army grew great and well disciplined. It was more 
dangerous, too, than Tshaka's army had ever been, for 
by this time many of the natives had succeeded in getting 
guns. 

For some time, however, Cetywayo lived quietly at 
peace with the British. But as time went on it became 
more and more plain that he wanted to fight. His 
young braves were anxious to ' wash their assagais in 
blood,' and as Zululand was shut in between the sea, 
the Transvaal, and Natal, it was only against white 
people that he could fight. 

For a long time Sir Bartle Frere, who was now 
Governor of the Cape, tried to keep peace. But at last 
Cetywayo became so daring and insolent that it was 
no longer possible. Sir Bartle then gathered an army 
of soldiers, colonists, and friendly blacks, and sent them 
to fight the Zulu king. 

The Transvaal Boers were asked to help too ; but 
they were still too angry about the loss of their freedom, 
and only a very few joined. But even without their 
help, it was believed that the army was quite strong 
enough to crush the savages. Unfortunately, however, 
Sir Bartle did not know how strong Cetywayo's army 
was. 

About ten days after the war began, the British were 
encamped at the foot of a hill called Isandlwana, which 
means the Little Hand. Here part of the army was 
left while the commander-in-chief with another part 
went forward a few miles to examine a native fortress. 

The British had been warned by the Boers to be 
careful how they trusted themselves in the land of the 
Zulus. But no one listened to the warning. The camp 



FACING FEARFUL ODDS 325 

was not fortified in any way, the baggage-wagons even 
were not laagered in the usual Boer fashion, for the 
British did not believe that there were any Zulus 
near. 

But meanwhile a great army of twenty thousand 
savages was swiftly and silently closing round the 
camp. Too late the British awoke to their danger. 
They were surrounded by black, exulting hordes. It was 
a fearful fight. The British stood to their posts and 
fought till they could fight no more. They fought till 
they had no powder or shot left, and it became a hand- 
to-hand struggle with bayonets and clubbed rifles 
against the short stabbing assagais of the savages. 
Hundreds had fallen beneath the British fire, but 
hundreds more came on. In wave after wave the Zulus 
broke upon the British camp, and above the crash of 
guns rose their fearful war hiss, their shouts of 
triumph. 

To a man the foot-soldiers fell where they stood. 
A few mounted men made a dash through the swarming 
savages. But most of them were shot down even as 
they fled. In an hour all was over, and the camp of 
Isandlwana was in the hands of the plundering, rejoic- 
ing Zulus, and eight hundred white men lay still and 
silent on the ground, with at least six hundred friendly 
blacks. In an hour the camp at Isandlwana had been 
wiped out. 

Meanwhile two horsemen who had escaped galloped 
madly back to carry the awful news to Rorke's Drift, 
where another part of tlie army was stationed with the 
stores and a hospital for the sick. Drift means ford, and 
Rorke's Drift was a crossing or ford over the Buffalo 
River. 

The men rode hard, but it was after three o'clock 



326 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

in the afternoon before they reached the camp. Then 
as soon as they heard the news the soldiers there began 
to fortify the position as best they could. There was 
little time and little material, but they used what they 
had. Wagons were lashed together, bags of grain, 
biscuit-boxes, packing-cases, were piled so as to make 
a breastwork. The store-house and the hospital were 
loopholed. Everything was done that could be done 
in the short time ; but before the preparations were 
finished the Zulus were upon the camp. 

With the knowledge of Isandlwana in their hearts, 
the soldiers set their teeth and fought with desperate 
courage. Again and again the black waves of savages 
surged up to the frail ramparts, again and again they 
were beaten back. Hour after hour the fight lasted. 
The hospital was set on fire and charged by the savages, 
but while one party defended the burning building, 
another dragged the sick men out, and the Zulus were 
again beaten back. In the gathering darkness the 
flames leaped and roared and still the fight went on. 
The flames died down and darkness fell, but still the 
fight lasted. Not till midnight did the firing slacken, 
and at last towards daybreak the disheartened enemy 
fell back to the hills around, and the fight was 
over. 

Thus did a hundred men keep three thousand 
savage warriors at bay, and save Natal fr'om being 
overrun by a heathen horde, mad with blood and 
victory. 

And while at Rorke's Drift a handful of men were 
fighting for their lives and for the life of the colony, 
the commander-in-chief had turned slowly back to 
Isandlwana. He was still some miles off when he 
met a horseman spurring wildly towards him with the 




THUS DID A HaNDBBD MEN KEEP THREE THOUSAND SAVAGES AT BAY. 



FACING FEARFUL ODDS 327 

news of the disaster. Then he hurried towards the 
camp, but night had fallen before he reached the 
spot. 

What a sight was there I As the men stood upon 
the terrible field and saw their comrades, from whom 
they had parted only a few hours before, lying dead 
around them, they sobbed aloud. And there among the 
dead, amid the ruin of their camp, they waited till 
dawn, with hearts full of grief and anger. 

As soon as day dawned they left the ghastly field 
and hurried on to Rorke's Drift, not knowing what news 
might await them there. Anxiously they marched, but 
as they neared the British camp they saw that the Union 
Jack still waved over it. And when they heard of the 
gallant fight that had been fought, a British cheer rent 
the air. 

But splendid though it was, the defence of Rorke's 
Drift did not end the war, nor was Isandlwana the only 
loss. Troops, however, came from England as fast as 
steamers could bring them, and at last, after months of 
fighting, the Zulus were defeated at the battle of Ulundi, 
Cetywayo was taken prisoner, and the war was at 
an end. 

After a little Cetywayo was allowed to return to his 
kingdom. But he found that all his people were not 
glad to welcome him back, for already some of them 
had chosen another king. So there was civil war in 
Zululand, and a year later Cetywayo died, it is thought 
now by poison. He was succeeded by his son Dinizulu. 
Under him the state of Zululand grew worse and 
worse, till in 1887 it was taken under British rule, and 
later annexed to Natal. 

Dinizulu was sent as a prisoner to St. Helena. He 
remained there nine years, at the end of which time 



328 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

he was allowed to return to his own land. But the 
troubles with Dinizulu are not quite over yet. 

THE DEFENCE OF RORKE'S DRIFT 

Come listen for a moment, 
All ye, whose peaceful life 
In even flow is ne'er disturbed 
By scenes of blood and strife ; 
Who sit around your hearth fires, 
Secure from war's alarms ; 
This humble lay sets forth to-day 
A British deed of arms. 

Left on the wild, lone border 
A small but fearless band. 
Guarding the watery entrance 
To savage Zululand ; 
On the warm midday breezes. 
Like thunder's distant sound. 
Came the long roll of cannon 
Far o'er the hostile ground, 
And we wondered that our column 
So soon the foe had found. 

Then came two flying horsemen 

Riding with loosened rein. 

And the powdery dust like a whirlwind rose 

As they scoured across the plain ; 

A few more rapid hoof strokes, 

And we heard the news they bore — 

' In yonder glen nigh half our men 

Lie weltering in their gore. 

' Our men, too soon surrounded. 
Were slaughtered as they stood. 
Facing their slayers to the last, 
Dying as soldiers should. 
How we escaped we know not, 
From that fierce whirlwind's frown, 
But on this post a conquering host 
E'en now is marching down.' 



FACING FEARFUL ODDS 329 

We set to M^ork undaunted 

To raise a barricade, 

With mealie bags and scattered stores 

A breastwork soon was made ; 

And scarcely was it finished. 

When burst upon our sight. 

Dark as the lowering storm-cloud 

Sweeps the blue vaulted height. 

Moving along the fair hill-side, 

In vast black lines extending wide, 

Rank upon rank of warriors tried. 

In panoply of savage pride 

Advancing to the fight. 

Yes, on they came in thousands — 
One hundred strong we stand, 
Against the very pick and flower 
Of waiTior Zululand : 
And how may we resist them. 
Or hope to hold our own, 
Flushed as they be with victory — 
The greatest e'er they 've known ? 

And eyes with lust of carnage, 
Like coals through the darkness gleamed, 
And bayonets crashed with stabbing spear, 
Thick the red torrent streamed : 
Drowning the roar of battle — 
Drowning the deafening clang — 
Each demon yell like a blast of hell. 
Fiercer and higher rang. 

Again and again we met them 

Through the long fearful night , 

We fought as ne'er we fought before 

And ne'er again may fight. 

To 'venge our slaughtered comrades, 

To guard our solemn trust, 

And to reclaim our country's name 

Trampled in savage dust. 



330 OUR EMPIHE STORY 

Piled high against our breastwork, 

And scattered o'er the plain. 

Four hundred of their warrior strength 

Lay stark amid the slain — 

Lay where their fierce hot life-blood 

The greedy earth had wet — 

Still terrible, in threatening scowl, 

Each grim dead face was set. 

And twelve from out our number 
Their brave career had run, 
Their final muster-roll had passed, 
And their last duty done ; 
So carefully we laid them 
Deep in the green earth's breast. 
An alien sod above them trod ; — 
Peace with their ashes rest ! 

Yes, for old England's honour 

And for her perilled might. 

We strove with vast and whelming odds, 

From eve till morning light ; 

And thus with front unflinching, 

One hundred strong we stood. 

And held the post 'gainst a maddened host 

Drunken with British blood. 

Her sons in gallant story. 
Shall sound old England's fame. 
And by fresh deeds of glory 
Shall keep alive her name ; 
And when, above her triumphs, 
The golden curtains lift — 
Be treasured long, in page and song, 
The memory of Rorke's Drift. 

Bertram Mitford. 



CHAPTER XVI 

UPON MAJUBA'S HEIGHT 

After the Transvaal was annexed to Britain, many 
British colonists went to make theu' homes there, and the 
country grew much more prosperous. But in spite of 
that most of the Boers were still discontented. As 
months and years went on and they saw no chance of 
regaining their freedom quietly they made up their minds 
to fight for it. As their leaders they chose three men, 
Kruger, Joubert, and Pretorius, the son of that Andries 
Pretorius who had been first President. Then as Pretoria 
was in the hands of the British they chose the town of 
Heidelberg as their capital. And there on Dingaan's 
day, 16th December 1880, the flag of the Republic was 
once more hoisted, and that very day fighting began. 

The Boers set out to fight in the spirit of the old 
Puritans. To the God of battles they committed their 
cause, sure that He would fight for them. When the 
Boers won a battle the British said it was because they 
knew the country and could shoot well, but the Boers 
said that it was God's will, and from the rejoicing camps 
arose the sound of prayer and psalm-singing. 

In the first skirmish the British were beaten, and after- 
wards many misfortunes fell upon them. On January 1881 
there was a battle fought at a place called Laing's Nek, 
a ridge between Majuba Hill and some other hills running 
along the banks of the Buffalo River. Here tlie Boers 

831 



332 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

were encamped in a very strong position, and when the 
British attacked they were driven back with great loss. 

It seemed then to the commander-in-chief that there 
was but one way of dislodging the Boers from their strong 
position. That was by taking possession of Majuba Hill, 
and from there firing down upon their camp until they 
were obliged to march away. This the British leader 
resolved to do. 

So one dark, moonless night the commander-in-chief 
with about six hundred men, led by Kaffir guides, began 
the steep ascent. On and on up the rugged slopes the 
men scrambled in silence. Breathless and panting they 
stumbled on over boulders and stones, now hanging on to 
shrubs and bushes, now crawling on hands and knees. 
They crept round rocks and clambered along sheer 
precipices where one false step would have sent them 
headlong. 

Every few yards the leaders whistled softly and the 
men paused to gather breath. Then on again they 
struggled, laden with guns and ammunition, picks and 
shovels, and food for three days. Up and up they went, 
until after a climb of five hours the first men reached the 
top. Panting and exhausted they flung themselves down 
to rest. Then in the darkness each man sought his own 
regiment. 

There was not much time for rest, for already the 
darkness was fading, and as early dawn streaked the sky 
point after point of light shone out in the Boer camp two 
thousand feet below. One by one the lights shone, grew 
bright, and faded again in the growing sunlight. The 
Boer camp was aU astir, and above them the British 
soldiers were already rejoicing in the thoughts of victory. 
But although they had gained a point of vantage they 
had brought no rockets up with them with which to shell 



UPON MAJUBA'S HEIGHT 333 

the Boer camp. It seems difficult to understand what 
good the position was without cannon. 

Very soon the Boers, looking up at the hill, saw the 
British there. At first they were fiUed with dismay, and 
thought that they must abandon their camp. Then they 
took courage again, and resolved to storm the hill. And 
so from bush to bush, from boulder to boulder, they crept 
up. They went carefully and fearfully at first, but when 
they found that the British bullets which whizzed and 
whistled around them passed over their heads, doing no 
harm, they gained courage. Faster and faster up the hill 
they came, firing aU the time with deadly aim. At last 
they reached the summit and charged, and the British, 
suddenly seized with panic, fled down the way that they 
had come. And now the path up which they had toiled 
so painfully the night before was strewn with dead. 
And upon the hfll-top, fighting foremost among his men, 
feU the commander, Sir George CoUey. * He fought 
well,' said the Boers as they stood beside his dead body. 
'He did not think that we were wrong, but he was a 
soldier and he must obey orders.' 

He needs no tears who, in the van 
And foremost of the fight, 
Met death as should an Englishman 
Upon Majuba's height. 

The rout was complete. Two hundred or more of the 
British lay dead or wounded, while only one of the Boers 
was killed. *They fought Uke true heroes,' said their 
general, ' but our God who gave us the true victory and 
protected us, exceeded gloriously all acts of courage.' 

Majuba was a great disaster for the British, but it by 
no means ended the war. Pretoria and other towns were 
besieged, but the Boers were not strong enough to take 



334 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

them, and now many more troops came from home to help 
the British. But when the news of Majuba reached England 
a message was sent out to the new general, Sir Evelyn 
Wood, telling him to make a truce. The truce became a 
peace, and the Transvaal was once more acknowledged to 
be a free state. But although the Transvaal was really 
free again, Queen Victoria was acknowledged as Over- 
lord or suzerain. This treaty of peace was called the 
Convention of Pretoria, and was signed on August 8, 
1881. Three years later another agreement was made 
giving back to the Transvaal every freedom except the 
right to make treaties with foreign states, so that the over- 
lordship of Queen Victoria was little more than a mere 
form. 

Once more the Transvaal took its old name of South 
African Republic, and Mr Kruger became President. The 
flag of the Republic was hoisted, and the Union Jack, which 
had been run up so light-heartedly four years before, was 
hauled down and solemnly buried by those who grieved 
that British rule in the Transvaal was over. For although 
the Boers were pleased with the change, many of the 
British settlers who had come into the land since 1877 
were very angry, and declared that they would never rest 
until British rule was restored. Many others, indeed, 
who thought that to annex the Transvaal had been a 
blunder, thought that it was a still greater blunder to 
restore it after the disaster of Majuba. To them it 
seemed a disgrace to British arms. 



CHAPTER XVII 

THE GOLD CITY 

About a year after freedom had been given back to the 
South African Republic a discovery was made which has 
perhaps changed the fortunes of South Africa more 
than any other. This was the discovery in the Republic 
of the richest gold mines in the world. 

For many years gold had been found and worked in 
South Africa, but it was in such small quantities and so 
hard to get at that few people went to these gold-fields. 
But when the Witwatersrand mines were discovered, 
about forty miles from Pretoria, people from all parts of 
the world flocked to them. 

The mines there could not be worked like those of 
Australia or California, for machinery was needed to dig 
out and crush the rock in which the gold was embedded. 
This machinery cost far too much money for one man to 
buy. So men joined together, and many companies were 
formed. It was a time of great excitement, for some 
companies succeeded and the men grew rich, others failed 
and the men who had spent all that they had in the hope 
of making more became beggars. 

And meanwhile a new and great town arose in the 
Transvaal, a town which grew as if by magic to be the 
largest in all South Africa. This new town of Johannes- 
burg was at first only a huge camp. Everywhere white 
tents and ugly corrugated iron houses sprang up. But 



836 OUR EMPIKE STORY 

soon these were swept away, and beautiful buildings, laid 
out in streets and squares, with parks and gardens, took 
their place. 

This beautiful city, with glittering palaces, with 
theatres, schools, hospitals, and churches, with telephones 
and electric light, and everything that a great city needs, 
grew up as if by enchantment in a country where all 
around there were only simple farmers, living in two- 
roomed cottages. It grew up hundreds of miles from a 
railway, for in all the Orange Free State and the South 
African Republic there was no railroad. The machinery 
for the mines, the stone and wood, iron and bricks for 
the building of the city had all to be dragged hundreds 
of miles in ox-carts. But no difficulty stopped the 
growth of the city, and in the solitudes of Africa one of 
the brightest and gayest cities in the world sprang to 
life. Soon railways were laid down, and in a few years 
Johannesburg was connected with Natal, Cape Colony, 
and Portuguese East Africa, and from the mines a 
constant stream of gold flowed out to all the world. 

This discovery of gold brought a great deal of money 
to the Republic. In Johannesburg the farmers found a 
great market for their produce, and in many ways the 
country grew prosperous. But with new prosperity new 
troubles arose. Until now the President had been the 
ruler of simple farmer folk. He or they knew little of 
books or business, cared little for the outside world and 
its fierce struggle for wealth. 

But now, suddenly, the President found himself 
called upon to rule a new people, a people keen for business, 
eager for * progress,' impatient of his slow farmer ways. 
Most of these men who had rushed to Johannesburg were 
British subjects, and the Boers looked upon them with 
distrust. They began to fear again for the liberty of their 



THE GOLD CITY 337 

country. So they called these people Uitlanders, that is 
Outlanders or strangers, and made it very difficult for them 
to get any share in the ruling of the country. This made 
the Outlanders angry, for they wanted to have a share 
in the governing, and to manage things better than the 
slow, old-fashioned Boers. 

But the Boers said, ' No, it is our country. We did 
not ask you to come, we do not want you to stay, and if 
you don't like it, you can go away again.' But of course 
the Outlanders did not want to go. They wanted to stay 
and make money out of the gold mines. 

Many things in the South African republic were 
really badly managed. The Outlanders had some 
grievances, but the more they complained the more 
suspicious did the Boers grow. Boer and Briton did not 
understand each other, and as the years went on anger 
and bitterness deepened and darkened on both sides. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

WAR AND PEACE 

Meanwhile the rule of Britain was spreading rapidly over 
South Africa. A great tract of land called Bechuanaland 
had become a British Protectorate. Mr. Cecil Rhodes 
had helped greatly in this, and now another great tract, 
named after him Rhodesia, was added. 

By Lobengula, the King of Matabeleland, Mr. 
Rhodes and some others were given the right to look 
for gold and other minerals in his land. Then in 1889 
Mr. Rhodes started the British South African Company. 
It was a company like the old East India or the Hudson 
Bay Company, and is generally known as the Chartered 
Company. 

It received from the Crown a Royal Charter or 
writing by right of which the Company might use the 
British flag, be under British protection, yet make its 
own laws, appoint its rulers, and make war against or 
treaties with the native tribes. Mr. Rhodes was manager 
of the Company and his friend Dr. Jameson became ruler 
of Rhodesia. 

After the Company was formed its officers began to 
take possession of the best positions in the country and 
to build forts. But Lobengula did not like that. He 
had supposed that a few white men would come to look 
for gold and go away again. But instead of that they 
came in hundreds and seemed as if they meant to stay. 

83S 



WAR AND PEACE 339 

So he began to fight. In various ways there was a good 
deal of fighting and trouble. Then the Matabeies made 
war on another tribe, the Mashonas. The Mashonas 
fled to the British for protection, and there was more 
trouble. But at length Bulawayo, Lobengula's capital, 
was taken and he fled beyond the Zambesi. There he 
died, and there was peace for a time in Rhodesia. 

A few years later, however, the natives again rose 
and many white people were killed. But after a good 
deal of fighting, first the Matabele and then the 
Mashonas gave in. Since then there has been peace 
in Rhodesia, but as yet there are not many white people 
there, for the British do not care to go so far away to 
farm. The land is, however, rich in coal and other 
minerals, and will doubtless one day become a prosperous 
colony. 

Meanwhile, the Outlanders in Johannesburg were 
growing more and more discontented, and at last they 
resolved to rise in rebellion and force the government to 
grant them what they wanted. Mr. Rhodes, who was 
now Premier of the Cape, felt with them, and Dr. Jameson, 
the ruler of Rhodesia, agreed to help them too. 

It was arranged that Dr. Jameson with five hundred 
horse was to march into the Transvaal, and at the same 
time the discontented Outlanders were to rise. But 
things went wrong. The people of Johannesburg and 
Dr. Jameson did not act together. The Boers found out 
about the intended revolt, and Dr. Jameson and all his 
force fell into their hands. And so the Jameson Raid, as 
it is now called, came to nothing. 

Mr. Kruger gave his prisoners up to the British, and 
no very heavy punishment fell upon them. Some of 
them were sentenced to be imprisoned for longer or 
shorter times, and some were fined. Dr. Jameson was 



340 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

no longer allowed to be ruler of Rhodesia, and Mr. Rhodes 
had to give up being manager of the Company and Premier 
of the Cape. 

The Jameson Raid came to nothing, indeed, but it 
made matters in the Transvaal much worse. The Boers 
had now grown more suspicious, and they began to gather 
guns and ammunition, and to build fortresses and batteries. 
That they should arm themselves in this way made the 
British angry, and so the quarrels and misunderstandings 
grew until they ended in war. 

A great many reasons have been given for this war, 
and the one which most people believed to be the true 
one was that the Outlanders were taxed and yet were 
not allowed to vote for members of the Raad, and so 
had no voice in the ruling of the land. That was 
doubtless very hard. Yet looking back on all the 
horror and the pain of the war, which seems so near 
us still, we ask ourselves if indeed all the reasons taken 
together were worth fighting about. Could the granting 
of all our demands, could the winning of all our desires, 
repay us for the loss of so many gallant men ? Yet it was 
freedom we fought for, or so it seemed, and freedom has 
ever been a Briton's watchword. The Boers, too, thought 
they fought for freedom. 

Many books have been written about this war, and I 
do not mean to write much about it here. In October 
1899 it began. The Orange Free State joined with the 
RepubUc, and instead of being a matter of only a few 
weeks or a few months at most, as most Britishers believed, 
the war lasted for two and a half years. But when at last 
peace was signed, both the Orange Free State and the 
South African Republic had lost their freedom, and had 
become British possessions. 

The South African war wrought much sorrow both in 



WAR AND PEACE 341 

South Africa and in Britain. But it wrought some good, 
for one thing it proved to all the world was that Greater 
Britain was no mere name. Britons from all over the 
world gathered to help the Mother Country in her struggle. 
And right or wrong, we stood together and fought and died 
for Our Empire. 



342 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS 



Kings of Great Britain and 




Ireland. 




Rulers op Cape Colony. 






COMMANDERS. 


Oliver Cromwell, . . . 


1663 


Jan van Riebeck, . , . 1652 


Richard Cromwell, 


1668 




Charles ii.^ . . . . 


1660 








Zacharias Wagenaar, . . 1662 
Cornells van Quaelberg, . . 1666 
Jacob Borghorst, . . .1668 
Pieter Hackius, . . . 1670 
Albert van Breugel (temporary), 1672 
Isbrand Goske, . . , 1672 
Johan Bax, .... 1676 
Hendrik Crudop (temporary), . 1678 
Simon van der Stel, . . 1679 


James ii., . , , , 


1685 




William and Mary, , * 


1689 


Governors. 


William iii. (alone). 


1694 








Wilhem Adriaan van der Stel, 1699 


Anne, 


1702 


Johan Cornells d'Ableing (tem- 
porary), .... 1707 
Louis van Assenburgh, . . 1708 
Wilhem Helot, . . . l7ll 


George i., . 


1714 


Maurits Pasques de Chavonnes, 1714 
Jan de la P'ontaine (temporary), 1724 


George ii., . . . . 


1727 


Pieter Gysbert Noodt, . .1727 
Jan de la Fontaine, . . . 1729 
Adriaan van Kervel, . . 1737 
Daniel van der Henghel (tem- 
porary), .... 1737 
Hendrik Swellengrebel, . . 1739 
Ryk Tulbagh, .... 1761 


George iii., - » » , 


1760 


Joachim van Plettenberg, . 1771 
Cornells Jacob van de GraaflF, . 1785 
Johan Isaac Rhenius, . . 1791 

COMMISSIONERS-GENERAL. 

Sebastian Cornells Nederburgh\ -.^qo 
Simon Hendrik Frykenius . J 










Abraham Joslas Sluysken, . 1793 






Council of British Officers, . 1796 




Major-General James H. Craig, 1796 | 



LIST OF RULERS 



343 



Kings of Great Britain and 


Rulers op Cape Colony. 


Ireland. 






governors. 


George ni.j . • . « 1760 


Earl Macartney, . . . 1797 


Major-General F. Dundas, . 1798 




Sir George Yonge, . . . 1799 




Major-General F. Dundas, . 1801 




Lieut. - General Jan Willem 




Jaussens, .... 1803 




Major-General David Baird (tem- 




porary)^ .... 1806 




Lieut. -General Henry George 




Grey (temporary), . . 1807 




Earl of Caledon, . . . 1807 




Lieut. -General Henry George 




Grey (temporary), . . 1811 




Sir John Francis Cradock, . 1811 




Lord Charles Henry Somerset, 1814 


George iv., . . . • 1820 


Major-General Sir Rufane S. 


Donkin (temporary), . . 1820 




Lord Charles Henry Somerset, 1821 




Major-General Richard Bourke, 1826 




Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole, . 1828 


William IV., .... 1830 






Lieut. -Colonel T. Francis Wade 




(temporary), .... 1833 




Sir Benjamin d'Urban, . . 1834 


Victoria, » . • • 1837 






Sir George Thomas Napier, . 1838 




Sir Peregrine Maitland, . . 1844 




Sir Henry Pottinger, . . 1847 




Sir Henry Smith, . . . 1847 




Sir George Cathcartj . . 1852 




C. H. Darling, Esq. (temporary) 1864 




Sir George Grey, . . .1864 




Lieut.-General R. W. Wynyard 




(temporary), . . . 1861 




Sir Philip Wodehouse, . . 1862 




Lieut.-General Hay (temporary) 1868 




Sir Henry Barkly, . . .1870 




Sir Bartle Frere, . . .1877 




Major-General Clifford (tem- 




porary), .... 1880 




Sir G. C. Strachan, . . . 1880 




Sir Hercules Robinson, . . 1881 




Sir Henry Loch, . . . 1889 




Lord Rosmead (Sir H. Robinson) 1896 




Sir Alfred Milner, . . . 1897 


Edward vii., .... 1901 


Sir W. F. Helv-Hutchinson, . 1901 




Earl of Selborne, . . . 1905 


George v., . . . ■ 1910 


Viscount Gladstone, . . 1910 



INDIA 



CHAPTER I 

ALEXANDER THE GREAT INVADES INDIA 

Unlike the other countries of Greater Britain, India 
is no new-discovered land. At a time when our little 
island was stUl unknown, still lost in the cold grej 
mists of the ocean, ships sailed from India's sunny 
shores, and caravans wound through the sandy deserts 
laden with silks and muslins, with gold and jewels 
and spices. 

For through long ages India has been a place of 
trade. The splendours of King Solomon came from 
out the East. He must have traded with India when 
he built great ships and sent *his shipmen that had 
knowledge of the sea ' to sail to the far land of Ophir, 
which perhaps may have been in Africa or equally 
perhaps the island of Ceylon. From there these ship- 
men fetched such 'great plenty' of gold and precious 
stones, that ' silver was nothing accounted of in the days 
of Solomon.' 

The court, too, of many an ancient heathen king 
and queen was made rich and beautiful by the treasures 
of the East. Yet little was known of the land of gold 
and spice, of gems and peacocks. For beside the mer- 
chants, who grew rich with their traffickings, few journeyed 
to India. 

But at length, in 827 B.C., the great Greek conqueror 
Alexander found his way there. Having subdued Syria, 



348 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Egypt, and Persia, he next marched to invade the unknown 
land of gold. 

The part of India which Alexander invaded is called 
the Punjab, or land of the five rivers. At that time 
it was ruled by a king called Porus. He was over- 
lord of the Punjab, and under him were many other 
princes. Some of these princes were ready to rebel 
against Porus, and they welcomed Alexander gladly. 
But Porus gathered a great army and came marching 
against the Greek invader. 

On one side of a wide river lay the Greeks, on the 
other side lay the Indians. It seemed impossible for 
either to cross. But in the darkness of a stormy night 
Alexander and his men passed over, wading part of the 
way breast high. 

A great battle was fought. For the first time the 
Greeks met elephants in war. The huge beasts were very 
terrible to look upon. Their awful trumpetings made 
the Greek horses shiver and tremble. But Alexander's 
soldiers were far better drilled and far stronger than 
the Indians. His horsemen charged the elephants in 
flank, and they, stung to madness by the Greek darts, 
turned to flee, trampling many of the soldiers of Porus to 
death in their fright. The Indian war-chariots stuck fast 
in the mud. Porus himself was wounded. At length he 
yielded to the conqueror. 

But now that Porus was defeated Alexander was 
gracious to him, and treated him as one great king and 
warrior should treat another. Henceforth they became 
friends. 

As Alexander marched through India he fought 
battles, built altars, and founded cities. One city he 
called Boukephala in honour of his favourite horse 
Bucephalus, which died and was buried there. Other 



ALEXANDER INVADES INDIA 349 

cities he called Alexandreia in honour of his own 
name. 

As they journeyed, Alexander and his soldiers saw 
many new and strange sights. They passed through 
boundless forests of mighty trees beneath whose branches 
roosted flocks of wild peacocks. They saw serpents, 
ghttering with golden scales, glide swiftly through the 
underwood. They stared in wonder at fearful combats of 
beasts, and told strange stories when they returned home, 
of dogs that were not afraid to fight with lions, and of ants 
that dug for gold. 

At length Alexander reached the city of Lahore and 
marched on to the banks of the river Sutlej beyond. He 
was eager to reach the holy river Ganges and conquer 
the people there. But his men had grown weary of the 
hardships of the way, weary of fighting under the burning 
suns or torrent rains of India, and they begged him to go 
no further. So, greatly against his will, Alexander turned 
back. 

The Greeks did not return as they had come. They 
sailed down the rivers Jhelum and Indus. And so little 
was known of India in those days, that they believed at 
first that they were upon the Nile and that they would 
return home by way of Egypt. But they soon dis- 
covered their mistake, and after long journeyings reached 
Macedonia again. 

It was only the north of India through which Alex- 
ander had marched. He had not really conquered the 
people, although he left Greek garrisons and Greek 
rulers behind him, and when he died the people quickly 
revolted against the rule of Macedonia. So all trace of 
Alexander and his conquests soon disappeared from 
India. His altars have vanished and the names of 
the cities which he founded have been changed. But 



350 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

for long ages the deeds of the great ' Secunder,' as they 
called him, lived in the memory of the Indians. 

And it is since the time of Alexander that the people 
of the West have known something of the wonderful 
land in the East with which they had traded through 
many centuries. 



CHAPTER II 

HOW BRAVE MEN WENT SAILING UPON UNKNOWN SEAS 

Centuries passed. India suffered many changes. It 
was overrun and conquered by Mohammedans and 
Turks. Its temples were destroyed, its people slain or 
carried away captive. 

But through all the changes, through battle and war, 
revolt and massacre, the trade of India continued, and 
merchants vied with each other for the possession of 
it. Nearly all of it, however, was in the hands of Arabs 
and Moors, and, except for the merchants of Venice, 
few Christians had a share in it. The Moors brought 
the goods from India in their ships to Suez. There 
camels were laden, and by them the merchandise was 
carried through Egypt to Alexandria. And at Alex- 
andria the Venetian merchants took it in their ships to 
the ports of the Mediterranean. 

The old trade-routes to India and the East were by 
the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. These being in the 
hands of heathen peoples, Christian sailors and adventurers 
turned their thoughts ever more and more to the finding 
of a new way to the East. 

In the fifteenth century the Portuguese were a great 
and powerful people. Among the bold adventurers who 
sailed the unknown seas their sailors were the most 
daring. And one of their greatest sailors and explorers 
was Prince Henry the Navigator, the fifth son of King 

361 



352 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

John I. He did much to make his country great in 
trade, and was called the ' Father of Discovery.' 

Prince Henry sent out many expeditions, and although 
the new way to India was not discovered, many new 
lands and islands were, and were added to Portugal. 
The Pope, too, who was very powerful in those days, 
issued a Bull, as it was called, saying that all lands and 
islands which might be discovered between Cape Bojador 
on the west coast of Africa and the shores of India 
should belong to Portugal for ever. 

After Prince Henry died, the people of Portugal still 
eagerly sought for the new way to India. But for many 
a long year they sought in vain. It was in 1486 that a 
sailor called Bartholomew Diaz set out. Southward and 
southward he sailed down the coast of Africa until, 
driven by storms, he and his sailors lost sight of land. 
For thirteen days they sailed they knew not whither, 
battered by wind and waves, fleeing with furled sails 
before the storm. At length the sea grew calm again, 
the wind sank. Then Diaz turned eastward, hoping 
soon to come in sight of the coast of Africa, from 
which he had been driven. 

For many days he sailed along and saw no land. 
So he turned northward, and at length came in sight of 
what is now known as Flesh Bay. 

Without knowing it Diaz had rounded the Cape of 
Good Hope. He had passed it so far to the south as 
to be out of sight of land. The adventurous sailor still 
sailed on, not knowing where he was, for now land lay 
west of him instead of east. After many days he 
reached the mouth of a great river. It is now known 
as the Great Fish River. Here he was obliged to turn 
back, for his sailors, fearful of the unknown regions intf? 
which they were drifting, were unwilling to go further. 



BRAVE MEN SAILING UNKNOWN SEAS 353 

Once again the Cape was safely rounded, and Diaz, 
mindful of the dangers through which he had passed 
there, called it the Cape of Storms. 

But when they at length reached home and King 
John II. heard the tale, he named it the Cape of Good 
Hope, for now he had good hope that the long-looked- 
for road to India was indeed discovered. 

For some years after this King John was unable 
to send out any more expeditions. And meanwhile 
Christopher Columbus, sailing westward, discovered what 
he believed to be the further shore of India, and 
claimed it for the King of Spain. Then the King of 
Spain asked the Pope to grant to him all lands which 
might be discovered by saiHng westward even as he had 
granted to the King of Portugal all lands which might 
be discovered by sailing eastward. This being done, the 
King of Spain and the King of Portugal agreed to share 
between them all the world which might be still 
unknown. 

After the discovery of Columbus, the Portuguese 
became more eager than ever to find the way to India. 
King John ordered three ships to be built, tall and 
strong such as should be able to withstand the storms 
of the Cape of Good Hope. Bartholomew Diaz himself 
made the plans, for none knew better what stout ships 
were needful, for only he and his men in all the world 
had passed that stormy cape. 

Before the ships were ready to sail, King John died. 
His cousin Manuel, however, who succeeded him, was 
as eager as his uncle had been that Portugal should be 
great and prosperous, so he ordered that the ships should 
be finished. 

A noble called Vasco da Gama was chosen to be 
leader of the expedition, and one bright spring day in 

z 



854 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

1497 the King and courtiers, monks and priests, and a 
great crowd of people followed Vasco da Gama and his 
sailors to the shore, and there took leave of them with 
prayers and cheers and thunder of guns. But the 
rejoicings were mingled with such tears and sobs of 
those who thought never to see their dear ones again, 
that the place was afterwards called the Shore of 
Tears. 

When the last farewell had been said, these brave 
men sailed out into unknown seas, there to meet many 
dangers and perils, danger from wind and waves, from 
fierce dark savage peoples, from strange and terrible 
beasts. 

Nor were the dangers all from without. Within the 
ships were dangers too. For the men grew weary of 
the long struggle with storms, fearful of what might lie 
before them, and prayed their leader to return. * But 
nay,' he cried sternly, 'if I saw an hundred deaths 
before mine eyes, yet would I sail right on. To India 
we shall go, or die.' 

Then, seeing that they could not move their com- 
mander to return, the sailors mutinied. But Vasco da 
Gama was both bold and quick. Seizing the ringleaders, 
he loaded them with fetters on hands and feet, and thrust 
them prisoner into the darkness of the hold. Then taking 
the chart and all the instruments which helped him to 
find his way across the pathless ocean, he cast them 
overboard. * I need neither pilot nor guide, but God 
alone,' he cried. ' If so we merit it, He will lead us safely 
to our journey's end.' 

Thus the fearless leader crushed the mutiny, and 
continued his voyage. 



CHAPTEK III 

SUCCESS AT LAST 

Having escaped many dangers, having suffered many 
misfortunes, having lost two of his ships, Vasco da 
Gama did at length, after a voyage of eleven months, 
reach India. The joy was great when at last the long- 
looked-for shore appeared, and the dream of years was 
realised. 

Vasco da Gama landed some little distance from the 
town of Calicut, which was well known in Europe as 
the place from which calico came. But until that day 
no European had set foot there. 

But even now that India was reached, the dangers 
were not over. The Arab merchants, who had grown 
rich through their Indian trade, were jealous of the 
newcomers. So they tried to make mischief between 
the Zamorin or King of Calicut and the Portuguese. 
They told him that these white-faced people had come 
not to trade, but to conquer his land. 

By treachery the Arabs succeeded in takinp" Vasco 
prisoner. The Indians who helped them, however, did 
not dare to put him to death, and he was at length set 
free. But he never forgave the Moors and Arabs for 
their treachery, and swore to be avenged upon them. 

Meanwhile, however, they had so set the people of 
Calicut against the Portuguese, that it was only with 
great difficulty that Vasco could gather a small cargo of 

865 



356 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

spices and drugs. With this he was forced to be content, 
and set sail for home. 

But, as the wind was against them, the Portuguese, 
instead of sailing straight across the Indian Ocean, sailed 
northward along the Indian coast until they came to 
Cannanore. Here the King received them with great 
honour. For it had been foretold long ago by one of 
his wise men that the whole of India should one day 
be ruled by a distant Kmg whose people should be 
white, and who would do great harm to those who 
were not their friends. So the King of Cannanore and 
his counsellors, making sure that these were the white 
men who were one day to rule India, made haste to be 
friendly. 

To Vasco da Gama the King sent such great presents 
of pepper and cinnamon, clove, mace, ginger, and all 
kinds of spice, that the ships could not hold it, and Vasco 
was obliged at last to refuse to take more. 

Thus at length, weU rewarded for their troubles 
and toil, Vasco and his men sailed home. And after 
more adventures and dangers they reached Lisbon in 
safety. 

Great were the rejoicings when the ships arrived. 
For they had been gone two and a half years, and both 
King and people had given up aU hope of their 
return. 

Now that at length the route to India was found, 
Portugal was raised to great importance. Her kings 
took the proud title of ' Lords of the Conquest, Naviga- 
tion and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and 
China,' and for a hundred years the flag of Portugal 
was honoured on every sea. 

Vasco da Gama was richly rewarded. He was given 
the title of Dom or lord. And when every one was paid, 



SUCCESS AT LAST 857 

and the widows and children of those who had lost their 
lives in the adventure had been cared for, it was found 
that the Portuguese had still made sixty times as much 
as they had spent on fitting out the expedition. 

The way to India once found, the Portuguese were 
not slow to make use of it. Again and again expedi- 
tions set out, and soon not only traders went, but soldiers 
also, to guard them from the hatred and spite of the 
Moors and Arabs. 

The Portuguese made friendly treaties with the Kings 
of Cannanore and Cochin. They built factories and 
left factors and clerks there, and thus the commerce of 
Europe with India was begun. These factories were not 
what we mean now by factories. They were not places 
where goods were made, but simply trading stations, 
houses where the natives brought their goods and ex- 
changed them for other goods. A factor means really 
one who does trade for another. 

With the King of Calicut and with the Moors there 
was war. Whenever the Portuguese met a Calicut 
vessel they attacked it, took what they wanted of the 
cargo, sunk or burned the ship, and killed all the 
sailors. 

Those were terrible times, and trade was not the 
peaceful thing that it is now. It was almost as dangerous 
and quite as exciting as war, and traders were often little 
better than pirates. 

When Vasco da Gama made his second voyage to 
India he avenged himself terribly on the Moors, as he 
had vowed to do. Coming upon a fleet of twenty-four of 
their vessels he captured them all. After having taken 
as much of the cargo as he wanted, he cut off the hands, 
noses, and ears of the sailors. He then tied their feet 
together, and so that they might not untie the knots 



358 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

with their teeth, he ordered his men to knock them 
out. Lastly he set fire to the ships, and with sails set 
to the shore, he let them drift homeward with their 
ghastly crew. 

That a wise brave man like Vasco da Gama should be 
so brutal seems terrible now, but in those fierce times he 
seemed only to be taking a just revenge. 

In a very short time the little Portuguese trading 
stations grew into forts, the forts grew into towns, where 
Christian churches rose beside Moslem mosques and 
Hindu temples; Portuguese vessels cruised along the 
coasts attacking any ship, no matter of what country, 
which might dare to enter Indian waters ; Portuguese 
viceroys held sway on Indian shores from the Gulf of 
Cambay to what is now Madras ; and the trade with 
Burma and Bengal, with China and Japan and all the 
East was in their hands. AU this was not brought about 
without much fighting and many wars. But Portugal in 
those days was strong and powerful, and all over the 
world her merchants were as much feared for their miffht 
as envied for their wealth. 



CHAPTER IV 

HOW THE DUTCH AND THE ENGLISH SET FORTH 

TO INDIA 

The Dutch, like the Portuguese, were a sea-going people. 
For many years they had been the carriers of Europe. 
Every year their ships came to Lisbon, there to buy the 
goods which the Portuguese brought from India, and 
from Lisbon they carried them to every port in 
Europe. 

At that time the Dutch were under the rule of Spain, 
but in 1572 they revolted, and in 1580 they declared 
themselves free. In the same year King Philip ii. of 
Spain made himself Kiug of Portugal too, and soon after- 
wards he ordered that aU Dutch ships found in Spanish 
waters should be seized, and that all Spanish and 
Portuguese ports should be closed to them. In this way 
he hoped to ruiu the trade of the rebellious Dutchmen. 
But they, finding that they could no longer trade with 
Lisbon, resolved to seek the way to India for themselves 
and trade direct. 

Just as the Moors had tried to keep the Portuguese 
out of India, so now the Portuguese tried to keep out the 
Dutch, and there was much fightiug both by land and 
sea. Even after the Dutch reached India the Portuguese 
tried to make mischief between them and the natives. 
These were no true traders, they said, but spies come 
to view the land, and later they would return in force to 
conquer it. 



360 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

But the Dutch were hardy and brave, and not easily 
discouraged. In 1588 the Spanish Armada was defeated 
by the English, and after that Spain had few ships and 
men to spare for fighting in distant seas. So by degrees 
the Dutch drove the Portuguese out of their colonies 
and took them for themselves. They founded a Dutch 
East India Company, which grew wealthy and powerful, 
and soon all the trade of the East was in their hands. 
Holland had more ships than all the kingdoms of 
Europe put together. The Dutch ruled the sea. Dutch 
harbours and colonies were scattered over all the globe, 
and Holland became the market of the world. 

The spice trade especially, the Dutch were determined 
to keep in their own hands. And in order to make this 
easier, they destroyed whole plantations of spice and 
pepper trees. For that and other reasons the price of 
pepper was soon doubled. At one bound it rose from 
three shillings to six and eight shillings. 

Up to this time the English merchants had been 
content to buy from the Dutch as the Dutch had before 
been content to buy from the Portuguese. But now they 
were angry, and resolved in their turn to go to India 
direct for what they wanted. 

So it was in a tiny matter like the price of pepper 
that the seeds of our great Indian Empire were 
sown. 

On the 22nd September 1599 the Lord Mayor of 
London with the aldermen and merchants met together 
and resolved to form an East India Company. * Induced 
thereto,' the old paper says, * by the successe of the viage 
performed by the Duche nation,' they too resolved * to 
venter in the pretended voiage to the Easte Indias, the 
whiche it male pleased the Lorde to prosper.' 

But although meantime there were several meetings 



DUTCH AND ENGLISH 361 

* annent the said viage,' it was not until about a year and 
a half later that the first ships set out. For there were 
many preparations to make, the Queen's consent (it was 
Queen Elizabeth who ruled England in those days) had 
to be given, money had to be found, ships had to be 
bought and fitted out, and even the fact that we might be 
going to make peace with Spain had to be thought about. 

But at last, on the 13th of February 1601, five ships 
set sail from Woolwich. They were named the Red 
Br agon, the Hector, the Ascension, the Susan, and the 
Guest. Although they set sail in February, there was 
so little wind that they did not reach Dartmouth until 
Easter. But at length a fair wind blew, and the bold 
adventurers sailed out into the ocean and were soon 
beyond sight of land. 

Many adventures befell them; storms and calms, 
sea-fights and sickness they endured. At last so many 
of the men were ill with scurvy, that on reaching Table 
Bay they resolved to land. Scurvy is brought on by 
eating salt meat and no fresh vegetables. It was a new 
disease, having never been heard of until Vasco da Gama 
took his first voyage to India. In those days they had 
not found out how to carry fresh food on ships. The 
men had to Uve for the most part on salted meat and 
biscuits, and they nearly always fell ill. 

So now Captain James Lancaster, who was in charge 
of the expedition, thought that if he could land and find 
fresh food for his men, they would soon be better. The 
people who lived in Africa were aU black savages. When 
they saw these strange ships come into the bay they 
gathered round to look and wonder. Then James 
Lancaster made signs to them to bring him sheep and 
oxen. *He spake to them in the Cattels Language, 
which was never changed at the confusion of Babell, 



362 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

which was Moathe for Oxen and Kine, and Baa for 
Sheepe. Which language the people understood very 
well without an Interpreter/ says an old writer. * The 
third day after our coming into this Bay the people 
brought downe Beefes and Muttons, which we bought 
of them for pieces of old Iron hoopes, as two pieces of 
eight inches a piece for an Oxe, and one piece of eight 
inches for a Sheepe, with which they seemed to be 
well contented. ' 

For seven weeks the Englishmen stayed in Table 
Bay. By the end of that time nearly every one was 
well again, and they sailed on their way once more. After 
passing through more adventures and dangers, and seeing 
many strange and wonderful sights, they at length came 
to Achin in the island of Sumatra. 

Queen Elizabeth had sent a letter to the King of 
Achin, and now Captain James Lancaster went on shore 
to deliver it. He was received with great honour and 
was led to the King's court riding upon an elephant, 
while a band marched in front of him making a fearful 
noise with drums and trumpets. 

After Lancaster had presented his letter there were 
banquets and cock-fights in his honour, with much 
present giving, without which no Eastern could do any 
business. Then after a great deal of talking the King 
wrote an answer to the Queen, and a treaty of peace and 
agreement to trade was made. 

Although the Eastern kings were heathen, they were 
not wild savages like the people of Africa. This king 
was a Mohammedan, and when the Englishmen came to 
take leave of him, he turned to Captain Lancaster and 
asked, ' Do you know the Psalms of David ? ' 

' Yes,' replied Lancaster, greatly astonished, * we say 
them every day.' 



DUTCH AND ENGLISH 863 

* Then/ said the King, * I and these nobles about me 
will sing a psalm to God for your prosperity.' 

So very solemnly this heathen king and his nobles 
sang a psalm. It was a curious sight. There in the 
gorgeous heathen palace stood the few rough English 
sailors. Around them singing crowded the dark-faced 
Indians, clad in briUiant dresses of red and yellow, 
glittering with jewels and gold. 

When the psalm was ended, the King again turned 
to Lancaster. *Now,' he said, *I would hear you too 
sing a psalm in your own language.' 

So in their turn the Englishmen sang. And the 
psalm being finished, they took their leave. 

From Achin Lancaster sailed on to other places, 
for he had not enough goods yet to carry home. And 
he felt that it would be httle to his credit did he sail 
back with empty ships, when all the Indies lay before 
him from which to gather precious stores. 

Like the Dutch, the English had to deal with the 
Portuguese, for they 'had a deligent eye over every 
steppe we trode,' and by force and treachery they tried 
to keep the Enghsh from trading with the Indians. 

The Enghshmen, however, got the better of the 
Portuguese, and at last, well laden with spices, they sailed 
homeward. But on the way they met with great and 
terrible storms, so that * the ship drave up and downe in 
the sea Hke a wrake ' and ' Hayle and snow and sleetie 
cold weather ' took the heart out of them, until the master 
and crew were in despau*, and gave up hope of ever 
reaching home. 

But at length the sea grew calmer, and after months 
of toil and peril they reached the safe shelter of the 
Downs, and gave thanks to God for aU the perils and 
dangers passed. 



364 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Such were the beginnings of British trade with 
India. And although some of the ships and many of 
the men had been lost on the voyage, the Company had 
made much money. King James of Scotland was now 
upon the throne. He made Captain Lancaster a knight 
as a reward for the brave way in which he had steered 
his ships and led his men through storms and dangers. 



CHAPTER V 

THE FIRST BRITISH AMBASSADOR GOES TO THE COURT 
OF THE EMPEROR OF INDIA 

When the first English adventurers sailed to India, the 
Dutch treated them kindly. But very soon the struggle 
between English and Dutch became as fierce as the 
struggle between Portuguese and Dutch had been. For 
a long time Bantam, in the island of Java, was the only 
town where the English had a factory, and in some 
places the natives were so afraid of the Dutch that they 
would not trade at all with the English. Yet the 
English trade grew, and almost every year the East 
India Company sent out new ships. Now, instead of 
giving the vessels names like the Red Dragon or the 
Roebuck, they called them the Peppercorn^ the Cloven 
Trades Increase, or Merchant's Hope. 

Finding it difficult to found factories in the East 
India Islands, the English next tried to do so on the 
mainland. The first factory which they succeeded in 
founding there was at Surat. Sir John Hawkins, one of 
our great English ' sea-dogs,' was the first to land there. 
But he found it very hard to trade, for the Portuguese 
were still in power. There he met ' a proud Portugal ' 
who ' tearmed King James King of Fishermen and of an 
Island of no import. And a fig for his commission I ' 
There, he says, ' I could not peepe out of doores for 
fear of the Portugals, who in troops lay lurking in the 
byways to give me assault to murther me.' 

365 



366 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

The kings of India were not like the savages of 
Africa and America. They were great potentates living 
in splendour, although the people over whom they ruled 
were miserably poor. They sat upon golden thrones 
studded with jewels, they bathed in golden baths and ate 
and drank from golden vessels. Their clothes glittered 
with gems and were fringed with pearls. 

The Great Mogul was the chief of these kings. He 
was Emperor of all India, and the other kings paid him 
money or tribute, and acknowledged him as * overlord.' 
Over those states which lay near his capital at Delhi 
he ruled like a tyrant, but over the distant states he had 
little power. There the kings did very much as they 
Hked. 

It was often very difficult for the English to get 
leave to trade in the dominions of these proud tyrants. 
For the curious thing was that in those days they 
thought little of Europeans. The King of Great 
Britain was to them merely the ruler of a tiny, barbarous 
and poor island somewhere far away in the cold bleak 
seas. It seemed to them that they were being very kind, 
and that they stooped from their high state in listening 
at all to the wishes of such a petty prince. 

The Great Mogul was haughtiest of all. He was 
quite willing to take presents from the King, but he was 
not willing to do anything in return. So at last it was 
decided to send an ambassador from England to live 
at the court of the Great Mogul to see what he could 
do for British trade. 

Sir Thomas Roe was the first ambassador who went 
fi'om Great Britain to India. He was also the first 
gentleman who had to do with the East India Company. 
For at the beginning they had said, ' We purpose not to 
emploie anie gent in any place of charge, but to sort our 



AMBASSADOR GOES TO INDIAN COUKT 867 

business with men of our own quality.' Even now, 
although many of them thought that it was a good idea 
to send an ambassador to the court of the Great Mogul, 
they were very fearful lest the King should send some 
gay favourite of his own who would cost them much 
and do but little good. *A meere merchaunt' would 
do just as well and cost them far less they thought. 
But in the end the choice fell on Sir Thomas, who was 
both courtly and wise. He was used to kiugs and 
courts, he was courteous and polite, but he made up his 
mind that the dusky Eastern kings should treat him with 
honour, as became a messenger from a ruler greater 
than themselves. 

So from the beginning Sir Thomas held himself 
proudly. * If it seeme to any/ he says, ' that shall heare 
of my first carriadge that I was eyther too stiff, to 
PunctuaU, too high, or to Prodigall, lett them Consider 
I was to repayre a ruynd house and to make streight 
that which was crooked.' 

When Sir Thomas Roe landed at Surat he did so in 
great state. The ships in the harbour were decked with 
flags and streamers, cannon fired, and before him went 
a boat in which a band played, and when he reached the 
shore eighty soldiers marched around him as a body- 
guard. 

Roe's troubles soon began. The Mogul was not at 
Surat, but at Ajmere, about six hundred miles away. 
To get there the ambassador needed men and horses. 
But the Mogul's servants and the governor of Surat 
delayed and delayed. They said one thing and did 
another. They promised easily and broke their 
promises just as easily. * In all their dealinges ther 
was new falshood,' says Sir Thomas, and in every way 
they tried to hinder him. 



868 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

At last he overcame all the difficulties and started 
on his long journey. The country through which he 
passed he found miserable and barren. The towns and 
villages were all built of mud, and the houses were so 
miserable and dirty that there was hardly one fit to 
rest in. To-day that same region is rich and fertile. 
Green fields and gardens are everywhere to be seen, 
and well-built prosperous towns and villages are dotted 
about. 

The journey was long and difficult, and Sir Thomas 
fell ill on the way and did not reach Ajmere until 
Christmas. A few days later he went to see the 
Great Mogul. 

Sir Thomas kept a diary and wrote many letters 
when he was in India. In them he teUs of much that 
he did and saw, and of the troubles he had to 
bear. 

Among other things he tells us exactly how the 
Great Mogul spent his days. Every morning as soon as 
he rose he showed himself at a window called the 
Jharukha or interview window. Here the people came 
to do honour to him. While he worshipped the sun 
they cried out, *Live, O great king! O great king, 
life and health I ' Here too the Great Mogul gave and 
received presents, letting them down and pulling them 
up with silken cords. From this window he reviewed 
his troops and gave judgments, never refusing the 
poorest man's complaint, says Roe. At nine he went 
away, and at midday he came back to the window again 
to watch elephants and other wild beasts fight. After 
watching for an hour or two he went away to sleep. 
At four he appeared at the Durbar or audience, when 
he received the great men who came to visit him, and 
did the business of the state. Then after supper he went 



AMBASSADOR GOES TO INDIAN COURT 369 

into another room which was very private, and where 
only the most honoured guests were allowed to 
come. 

Every day was exactly the same as another, so that 
Sir Thomas said it seemed to him that the Great Mogul 
was as much a slave as the poorest in the land. For had 
he failed to show himself for one day the people would 
have broken out into riots. 

It was at the Durbar that Roe first saw the Mogul. 
When eastern princes came to visit the Mogul they 
bowed themselves to the earth and fell upon their 
faces. But Sir Thomas refused to do any such thing. 
He was a stiff-necked Englishman with a very good 
idea of the importance of his King and of himself. He 
was quite willing to be as polite and as courteous to 
the Great Mogul as he would have been to a European 
prince, but no more. 

Sir Thomas found the Mogul seated upon his throne, 
and surrounded by his nobles who stood in three rows, 
one below the other. As Sir Thomas passed each row 
he bowed, and at last stood before the Mogul. 

The Mogul was very gracious to Sir Thomas and 
seemed pleased with the presents which he had brought. 
What pleased him most was an English sword and 
scarf, although, pretending to be very grand and dignified, 
he did not pay much attention to them at the time. 
But at ten o'clock that night he sent for one of Roe's 
servants to come to show him how to wear the sword in 
English fashion. Then he strutted up and down the 
hall, drawing it and flourishing it like a child with a 
new toy, and for a month he was never seen with- 
out it. 

But although the Great Mogul continued to be very 
friendly. Sir Thomas could get little out of him but 

2a 



370 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

empty promises. Neither he, nor his sons, nor his 
counsellors were willing to bind themselves to any 
treaty. 

For nearly three years Sir Thomas remained in India. 
He followed the court about from place to place, seeing 
many wonderful and some dreadful sights. At last, 
finding that he could do but Httle good, he begged to be 
allowed to go home. This he soon did, carrying with 
him a letter from the Great Mogul to King James 
full of flowery language, but little more. 

It almost seemed as if Sir Thomas had failed in 
what he had been sent to do. But this was not so. 
He failed indeed to get any real treaty signed, but when 
he left India the position of the British there was far 
better than it had been. They were allowed to trade 
much more freely, and Sir Thomas had shown that 
Britons must be treated with dignity and that they were 
not to be trampled upon. Above all, danger from 
Portuguese rivals was over. 




■ SIR THOMAS STOOD BEFORE THE MOGUL.' 



CHAPTER VI 

THE HATRED OF THE DUTCH 

Year by year the jealousy of the Dutch grew, until in 
1622 it burst out in bitter hatred. 

At Amboina in the Molucca Islands the Dutch had 
built a large factory and a strong fort where they had two 
hundred soldiers. 

The British too, had a factory there. But it was only 
an ordinary house without fortifications or defences of any 
kind. They had no soldiers, and they numbered only 
eighteen traders. 

Suddenly one day the Dutch seized all the British, 
loaded them with fetters, and threw them into dark and 
horrible dungeons. They did this pretending to have 
discovered a plot to take the fort. 

Next day the prisoners were brought out of their 
dungeons one by one, and were told to confess their share 
in the plot. But there had been no plot, so the English- 
men could confess nothing. Then in the horrible manner 
of the time, the Dutch tortured them to make them 
confess. With the rack, with fire and with water, the 
poor wretches were tortured, untU at last, in order to free 
themselves from the torment, they were willing to confess 
to anything, and to say any words which might be put 
into their mouths. 

But although they confessed to a plot, and accused 
each other of taking part in it, that did not save them. 

S71 



372 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

They were all condemned to death. Once more, heavily 
laden with fetters, they were thrown into the dungeons 
there to await death. 

Now some courage came hack to the poor men. They 
were not afraid to die, but they wanted their fellow- 
countrymen to know that they died innocent of any plot 
against the Dutch. One of them had a Prayer Book, and 
in that he wrote a few pitiful words. * We be judged to 
death,' he wrote, *this 5th of March Anno 1622. We 
through torment, were constrained to speak that which 
we never meant nor once imagined. They tortured us 
with that extreme torture of fire and water that flesh and 
blood could not endure it. But this we take upon our 
deaths, that they have put us to death guiltless of that 
we are accused. And so farewell Written in the 
dark.' 

Through the long sad night the prisoners comforted 
each other. They asked pardon, and freely forgave each 
other for the false things they had said, then praying and 
singing psalms they Avaited for the morning. 

When day came they were led out to die. Guarded 
by soldiers they were marched through the town so that 
all might see the triumph of the Dutch. Then they were 
led to the place of execution and their heads were cut off. 

When the news of this cruelty reached England, the 
people were filled with horror and anger. But the matter 
was hushed and the Dutch were never punished for 
what they had done. 

The rivalry between the two nations now became even 
more bitter than before. For a time the Dutch were the 
more suocessful, and instead of making money the Enghsh 
East India Company began to lose it. As they had been 
driven from Java, they became very anxious to set up a 
factory on the east coast of India. But from place to 



THE HATRED OF THE DUTCH 373 

place they were hunted about by the jealousy of the 
Dutch and the dislike of the Indian rulers. 

At last a trader called Day bought a piece of land 
from one of the native princes. This was the first land 
owned by the British in India. It was only a narrow 
strip of sandy beach about five miles long and one wide, 
but it was a foothold. Here, in 1639, the British built a 
fort which they called Fort St. George. This was the 
beginning of the town of Madras. 

Day had many difficulties to fight. Both the 
Portuguese and the Dutch had factories near Fort St. 
George, and the Dutch especially tried to make the 
Indian prince forbid the British to build a fort. The 
East India Company too had at this time little money to 
spare, and some of the Council were not well pleased at 
the thought of aU that would be spent on a fort, which 
they thought was unnecessary. 

But at last every difficulty was overcome. The little 
British fortress was finished. Brass cannon shone at 
the loopholes and the Union Jack floated from the waUs. 

Within the walls were houses for all the company's 
staff. And here they lived very much like a large family. 
In the morning they went to chapel and heard prayers 
read by the chaplain ; they all dined and supped together 
in the great hall, and when work was over for the day 
they met in their pleasant gardens and amused themselves 
with shooting, archery, and bowls. But in those days no 
ladies were allowed to go to India, and if any of the men 
were married they had to leave their wives at home. 

Outside the walls of Madras a native town grew up 
quickly. For the Hindu people soon heard of the new 
town, and, as they were not allowed to live within its 
walls, they built their fittle mud and bamboo huts without. 
Under the trees which grew near they set up their looms. 



374 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

and wove and printed in the open air the cottons and 
muslins which the British were so eager to buy. So the 
fort where the British lived came to be called 'white 
town,' and the native village without the walls was called 
* black town.' 

By degrees the British got leave in various ways to 
build other factories. One day the daughter of the Great 
Mogul set herself on fire and was very badly burned. The 
native doctors did not know what to do. So the British 
doctor from Surat was sent for. He cured the Princess 
very quickly, and the Mogul was so delighted that he told 
the doctor to ask for whatever reward he liked. He asked 
that the Company might be allowed to build a factory at 
the town of Hooghly on the Hooghly river. This they 
were allowed to do, but they were forbidden to build a 
fort or to land a cannon. 

Then when Charles ii. of England married Princess 
Catherine of Portugal, he received the Island of Bombay 
as part of her dowry. But Charles did not care for a 
possession which was so far away, and which was said, 
too, to be damp and unhealthy. So he gave it to the 
Company for £10 a year. The Portuguese, who had 
already settled there, were not very pleased at being 
handed over to the British. But they soon found that 
they were as free, or freer than they had been under their 
own king, and they settled down quietly. The Company 
strengthened the castle which the Portuguese had already 
built. And although the climate was so unhealthy that 
no European could live there for more than three years at 
a time, the harbour was so good that in about sixteen 
years it became the chief trading port on the west coast. 
Now it is the second city in the Empire, and one of the 
healthiest towns in India. For the marshes have been 
drained, and the forests of cocoa-nut trees, which kept off 



THE HATRED OF THE DUTCH 375 

the fresh sea breezes and made the town unhealthy, have 
been removed. 

About this time the Great Mogul tried to make every 
one in India Mohammedan, as he was. He persecuted 
those who would not become Mohammedan, and among 
other things he made them pay a heavy tax. The Nawab, 
as a native prince who ruled for the Mogul was called, 
now insisted that the British at Hooghly should pay the 
tax too. This, and other oppressions of the Nawab, at last 
became so unbearable that the British left Hooghly and 
went back to Madras. 

Soon after this the Nawab of Bengal was changed, and 
the new ruler asked the British to return. They did go 
back, but not to Hooghly. Instead, they built their factory 
at a little village twenty miles nearer the sea, but it was 
stiU without any fortifications. A few years later the per- 
secutions of the Mogul became so bad that the Hindus 
rebelled. Then the Nawab gave the British leave to 
fortify their factory against the rebels. So they built a 
fort called Fort WilUam. They also bought three small 
native villages. And this was the beginning of the beauti- 
ful city of Calcutta which is now the capital of British 
India. 

Thus at the beginning of the eighteenth century the 
British had a firm footing in India. They had three 
fortresses — Bombay castle on the west. Fort St. George at 
Madras on the south-east coast, and Fort WiUiam at 
Calcutta in the north-east — in this way commanding trade 
from aU directions. 

Soon, from these three towns as head-quarters, other 
factories began to be dotted all along the coast and far 
inland. These three towns were called Presidency towns 
as a head or president of the Company lived in each. 
Under the president there were merchants, factors, writers 



376 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

and apprentices. Every week the president and four or 
five of the chief men met in council to arrange the busi- 
ness of the Company. Within the walls of the factory 
or fort the president was as powerful as the Viceroy of 
India is to-day. Every British factory was ruled by 
British law as if it had been a town at home. And out 
of such small beginnings our great Indian Empire has 
grown. To-day a large part of the west coast is still called 
the Bombay Presidency, On the south-east coast is the 
Madras Presidency, and in the north is the Bengal Presi- 
dency. They take their names from those far-off days 
when the Company first began to trade. 



CHAPTER VII 

THE FRENCH IN INDIA 

While year by year British trade in India had been 
growing greater, another European country had begun 
to try and gain a footing there too. This country was 
France. And in India, as in Canada, the French and 
British were to struggle for power. 

Almost at the same time as the British founded their 
East India Company, the French founded one too. But 
for one reason or another they were not fortunate, and 
it was not imtil many years later, in 1668, that the first 
French factory was set up in India. This, like the first 
of the British, was at Surat. 

But besides having all the usual difficulties with 
native princes to get over, the French had to fight the 
British and also the Dutch. Both by land and sea the 
Dutch beat the French, and drove them again and 
again out of the factories which they tried to found. 

At length the French bought a piece of ground from 
a native prince about a hundred miles south of Madras. 
Here they built a fort and town, which they called 
Pondicherry, and at last began to prosper. 

The French settlement was very small, and they were 
everywhere surrounded by enemies. So the leader, 
whose name was Martin, asked the native prince to 
allow him to have some native soldiers. The native 
prince was very friendly, so he gladly agreed to give him 

87T 



378 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

three hundred men. Martin was the first white man 
who had thought of making use of the Indians as 
soldiers, and it was found that when they were properly 
drilled and had European officers they made splendid 
soldiers. 

Besides drilling these men and teaching them order 
and obedience, Martin made use of them as colonists. 
He gave each man a piece of land and encouraged him 
to till it, and to set up looms and weave muslins and 
other stuffs which he wanted for his trade. 

For nineteen years the French colony prospered. 
But the Dutch were determined to hunt them out. At 
home they were fighting with the French, and one day 
they appeared before Pondicherry with a fleet and an 
army large enough to conquer a whole state. 

The French were helpless. Against this great army 
there were thirty-four Frenchmen, three hundred native 
soldiers and only six guns. Yet, few though they were, 
Martin and his brave men held out for twelve days. 
But the Dutch surrounded them both by land and sea. 
They were starving, and gave in. 

The French, having promised that they would aU go 
back to France, were allowed to march out of their well- 
defended httle fort with all the honours of war. The 
native soldiers were allowed to go where they liked. 

This seemed to be the end of French power in India. 
But four years later peace was signed between the Dutch 
and the French, and one of the conditions of the treaty 
was that Pondicherry should be given back to the 
French. This was done, and once more the French 
returned. 

For some years after this the British, Dutch, and 
French traders lived almost in peace. But aU around 
them, among the native princes, there was constant war. 



THE FRENCH IN INDIA 879 

Kingdoms rose and feU, rulers mounted thrones and 
were hurled again from them, * The country being all in 
warrs and broyles.' 

Then ua 1744 the French and British went to war at 
home. This was the war of the Austrian Succession. 
And not content with fighting at home, they carried the 
war into their colonies. 

At this time a very clever Frenchman named Dupleix 
was governor of Pondicherry. He did not want to fight, 
and he tried to make the British president at Madras 
agree to keep peace, even though their kings at home 
were fighting. 

But the British president knew that ships and men 
were being sent from home to help him to fight the 
French, and he would not agree to be at peace. Dupleix 
was in despair. He had begun to fortify Pondicherry, 
but the walls were not even finished. He had only a 
garrison of about four hundred men and one little war- 
ship. He knew that when the British ships with their 
heavy guns arrived, his town would be pounded to bits 
in a very short time. 

The French had always kept on very good terms with 
the native rulers. So now in his need Dupleix asked 
the Nawab Anwaru-Din to help him. Dupleix had more 
than once helped the Nawab when he had been in 
trouble, and now he sent him handsome presents. 
Anwaru-Din was so pleased that he at once sent a 
message to the governor of Madras saying that he would 
not allow the French to be hurt, and that he would allow 
no fighting within his dominions. 

The British thought they were not strong enough 
to fight the French and the Nawab too, so they left 
Pondicherry alone. The British fleet, when it arrived, 
sailed away again, and, instead of taking the town, the 



380 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

admiral contented himself with attacking French trading 
ships on the sea, in that way doing a great deal of 
damage to French trade. 

Meanwhile another Frenchman named La Bour- 
donnais had, with great difficulty, got together a little 
fleet of ships, and he came sailing to help Dupleix. 

One July day the French and the British fleets met. 
From four o'clock until the sun went down, they fought. 
But although the French lost most men, it was neither a 
defeat nor a victory for either side. Yet next day, in spite 
of the fact that they had the best of the position, the 
British sailed away and left Madras to its fate. Had 
they but known it. La Bourdonnais, although he was 
making such a brave show, had food left for only one 
day, and nearly all his powder and shot was done. 

The news of the battle reached Madras together with 
the news that the British fleet had sailed away, and that 
soon the French might be expected to appear before 
the town. 

Madras was almost as unprotected as Pondicherry. 
The walls were weak and there were scarcely three 
hundred men to protect them. So the British president, 
in his turn, sent to the Nawab for help. But, forgetting 
that it was useless to ask anything of a native without 
giving him something, the president sent him no present. 
This the Nawab looked upon as almost an insult, and 
he did nothing. 

It was not long before the French ships appeared 
before Madras, and after three days' fighting the president 
gave in. Everything became the property of the French, 
the town, the fort, and all that they contained, gold, 
silver and merchandise. But La Bourdonnais agreed 
that the British should be allowed to buy back their 
town for a large sum of money. Meanwhile they became 



THE FRENCH IN INDIA 381 

prisoners of war. The Union Jack was hauled down and 
the French lilies floated in its place. 

But now, as soon as he heard of what had happened, 
Anwaru-Din was angry. Although he had done nothing 
to help the British, he had not meant that they should 
be driven away altogether. So the very day that Madras 
surrendered he sent an angry message to Dupleix saying 
that if he did not stop fighting at once he would send 
an army against Pondicherry. 

Dupleix knew very well how to manage the Indians. 
So he told Anwaru-Din that if the town were taken it 
should be given to him. With this the Nawab was 
quite satisfied. 

Thus Madras was promised to two people. La 
Bourdonnais had promised to sell it back to the British, 
and Dupleix had promised it to the Nawab. 

Neither Dupleix nor La Bourdonnais would give 
way, and these two men who had worked so well for 
their country, quarrelled. 

And while they quarrelled a great storm shattered 
the French fleet, and much of the spoil taken from 
Madras was lost. At last, with such of his ships as 
remained to him, La Bourdonnais sailed home. *My 
part is taken regarding Madras,' he wrote. * I give it up 
to you. I have signed the treaty. It is for you to 
keep my word. I am so disgusted with this wretched 
Madras, that I would give an arm never to have set 
foot in it.' 

Meanwhile the Nawab had been growing more and 
more angry as week after week went past, and he saw 
no sign of Dupleix keeping his promise and handing 
Madras over to him. Dupleix did really mean to keep 
his promise, but he wanted to destroy the walls first. 
He wanted to drive the British out of India altogether, 



382 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

and he saw that unless the fortifications were destroyed, 
it would be easy for the Nawab to give the town back 
to the British, if he liked, and the French would be 
no better off than before. 

While the quarrel with La Bourdonnais went on, 
Dupleix could do nothing. Now it was too late, for the 
angry Nawab had gathered his troops and was marching 
against Madras, which was by this time garrisoned 
with French soldiers. 

Anwaru-Din made no doubt of crushing these im- 
pudent, faithless Europeans, as with ten thousand 
soldiers, with horses and elephants, and all the ghtter 
and splendour of an eastern army, he closed round 
Madi'as. 

To meet this host, four hundred men, bringing with 
them two cannon, marched out of the town. 

The white turbaned, brilliant, Indian horsemen dashed 
upon this handful of men. But suddenly the French 
ranks divided. There was a roar of cannon and the 
foremost Indian horsemen lay dead. 

The Indians were startled and confused, and before 
they could recover, the Frenchmen had fired again and 
yet again. 

Such warfare as this was new to the Indian warriors. 
They indeed had cannon, but they were so old and 
clumsy that they were more dangerous to those who fired 
them than to any one else. And if they were fired 
once in quarter of an hour, that seemed to them very 
quick work. They had never dreamed that it was 
possible to fire a cannon four or five times in a 
minute. 

Panic seized upon the Indian horsemen. They turned 
and fled. Soon the whole army was fleeing in utter rout, 
leaving their tents and baggage in the hands of the French. 



THE FRENCH IN INDIA 383 

For the first time the Indians had found out how 
powerfiil the white-faced traders were, and as they fled 
they told their tale of wonder, and spread their terror 
ever5rwhere around. 

Dupleix now took complete possession of Madras. 
It was neither given to the Nawab nor sold back to 
the British. Many of the British were taken prisoner 
to Pondicherry. Others fled in the night and took 
refiige at Fort St. David, another British station about 
twelve miles south of Pondicherry. Among these was 
a young man named Robert Clive. 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE SIEGE OF ARCOT 

It seemed now as if Dupleix would sweep all before him 
and that France should be supreme in India. Against 
him were only a few hundred Britons in Fort St. David, 
but the Httle fort held out against attack after attack. 
At last came the news that at home peace had been 
signed between France and Britain, that fighting must 
cease, and that by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle Madras 
was given back to Britain. 

Thus after five years of fighting things seemed to 
be exactly as they had been at the beginning. But there 
was this difference, the French and the British, instead 
of trading peacefully side by side, had now become 
deadly enemies. Each was eager to banish the other 
from India. And from now too, the Europeans were 
no longer merely traders. They had begun to make 
their power felt by the Indian princes. Now, instead of 
being somewhat despised and looked down upon, the 
Europeans were looked up to, and in their quarrels with 
each other, the native princes became eager to have 
European help. They had learned what European 
soldiers could do. The native princes were nearly always 
fighting. Now a very bitter quarrel began and as the 
French and British took different sides, they were soon 
fighting as badly as before, although France and Britain 
were at peace. They were therefore not supposed to be 

SM 



THE SIEGE OF ARCOT 385 

fighting against each other, but only helping the native 
princes. 

The part of India over which Anwaru-Din ruled was 
called the Carnatic, and his capital was Arcot. The 
Lord of the Deccan, another part of India, was Anwaru- 
Din's overlord. In 1748 the Lord of the Deccan died. 
At once his sons and relatives began to fight for the 
crown, and Dupleix resolved to help one of these 
relatives called MuzafFar Jang and his friend Chanda 
Sahib. Anwaru-Din was on the other side, and in a 
great battle he was killed, his army was scattered, 
and his son, Mohammed Ali, fled to the British for 
protection. 

With the help of the French, MuzafFar Jang was 
at length proclaimed Lord of the Deccan, and Chanda 
Sahib Nawab of the Carnatic. A great durbar or 
meeting was held, to which all the nobles of the Deccan 
gathered to do honour to their new lord. And amid the 
brilliant throng was Dupleix, dressed in a gorgeous 
Mohammedan robe. It was he who sat in the place 
of greatest honour. It was upon him that honours and 
powers were heaped. He was made governor of all 
the land south of the river Kristna, he was given the 
title of Commander of Seven Thousand Horses, he was 
allowed to carry the ensign of the Fish among his 
standards, this being considered one of the greatest 
honours of India, it was he indeed who was the true 
ruler of the Deccan. Near the town of Gingi a monu- 
ment was raised in his honour. Upon it in French, 
Persian, Malabar, and Hindustani was written the story 
of his greatness. And round it grew up a town called 
Dupleix-Fathabad, or the place of the victory of 
Dupleix. 

In a few months the French, from being simple traders, 

2b 



386 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

had become the greatest power in the land, and the 
British looked on helplessly. In all that wide land they 
possessed only Madras and Fort St. David. Mohammed 
Ali was their only friend, and he was now besieged by 
the French and by the army of Chanda Sahib. For 
Dupleix had made up his mind to destroy Mohammed 
Ali. He felt that French rule in the Deccan was not 
safe or sure so long as he lived. The British, on the 
other hand, had made up their minds to protect him as 
their only hope of checking French power. 

So to the help of Mohammed Ali they sent aU the 
soldiers they could. Among them went Robert 
Chve. 

Robert Clive had come out to India as a clerk or 
writer in the service of the Company. He did not like 
his work and he was very unhappy in it. He was 
never meant to be a clerk, but was a born soldier. 
Since the taking of Madras by La Bourdonnais, Clive 
had seen some fighting. He had been made an ensign, 
but when the fighting was over he had to go back to 
his hated desk. Now again officers were needed, and 
Clive was given the rank of captain and sent to 
Trichinopoli where Mohammed Ali was besieged. 

But Clive had no sooner arrived at Trichinopoli than he 
saw that there was little to be done there. He saw that 
it would be far better to attack the capital, Arcot, which 
had been left almost unguarded. So he hurried back to 
Madras, told the president what he thought, and begged 
for soldiers. 

The president saw that Clive's plan was worth 
trying, and he gave him all the soldiers that he could 
spare, keeping only a hundred men to guard Madras and 
fifty for Fort St. David. So with two hundred British 
and three hundred Sepoys, as the native soldiers were 



THE SIEGE OF ARCOT 387 

now called, the young captain was soon hurrying along 
the road to Arcot. 

He had need of haste he knew, if his going was to 
be of any use. So when a fearful storm of thunder and 
lightning and rain overtook them, he still marched 
on. When the Indian spies who were watching saw 
this, they were filled with terror and admiration for 
the leader who was not afraid even of the * voice of 
heaven.' They fled to Arcot with the tale, and so 
frightened the garrison there that they rushed from the 
fort leaving guns and ammunition behind them. Thus 
without needing to fire a shot, Clive and his men marched 
into the town between lines of admiring, wondering 
Indians, and took possession of the fort. 

But Chve knew that he could not hope to be long 
left in possession undisturbed. So he gathered food, 
strengthened the fort, and made ready in every way he 
could to stand a siege. Hearing, too, that the runaway 
garrison were still lurking near, he marched out one night 
and attacked them, killing many and scattering the rest 
to the hills beyond, without losing a single man himself. 

Soon the news of the taking of Arcot reached 
Trichinopoli. And, just as Clive had hoped and ex- 
pected, Chanda Sahib sent back many of his soldiers 
to recover his capital from the British. In this way he 
weakened his chance of taking TrichinopoH, for he had 
not enough soldiers to besiege both places properly at 
once. 

Soon an army of ten thousand men, French and 
Indian, came marching to surround the handful of daring 
Britons. They made no doubt of crushing them very 
quickly. The town of Arcot had neither walls nor moat 
to protect it. Round the fort itself the moat had been 
long neglected. In places it was dried up or bridged 



388 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

over, and the handful of British soldiers shut up there 
were led by a clerk of twenty-five. 

But the fort held out week after week. Side by side 
Briton and Indian fought, catching something of the 
spirit of splendid daring and patient courage which filled 
their leader. Food grew scarce. There was little but 
rice left, and not enough of that. And now the sepoys 
showed the stuff they were made of. They came to 
Clive, not to grumble, but to tell him that they could 
live on the water that the rice was boiled in, and that 
the British soldiers might have all the rice itself. 

So week by week the little garrison, Indian and 
Briton, stood shoulder to shoulder, and worked and 
fought together. At length the enemy made a breach 
in the wall, and their leader sent a message to Clive 
asking him to surrender. But Clive replied with scorn. 
He had no thought of giving in. 

The Indian leader then determined to make a last 
grand attack on the fort. He chose the 24th of 
November, which is a great Mohammedan feast day. 
It is said that the soul of any good Mohammedan who dies 
fighting on that day wiU be carried straight to paradise. 
All night riotous sounds came from the Indian camp 
where the men were working themselves into a fury 
of religious zeal. They prepared for battle by making 
themselves mad with a kind of drug called bhang. And 
when morning came they were reckless of death, eager for 
the joys of paradise. With wild prayers and feasting they 
had become so frantic that they knew not what they did. 

But Chve had been warned by spies, and he, too, made 
ready for the attack. All night he worked, and at last, 
towards morning, utterly worn out, he threw himself 
upon his bed, dressed as he was, to try and snatch a 
few hours' rest. 



THE SIEGE OF ARCOT 889 

With the first streak of dawn the alarm was given. 
Clive started from his bed. All was in readiness. Every 
man was at his post. 

The stars had faded in the pale sky, and in the cool, 
dim light a sea of dark-faced fanatics surged and howled 
round the fort, their white turbans tossing like foam- 
crested waves on dark water. Armoured elephants, 
wearing iron plates upon their foreheads, with which 
to batter down the gates, led the way. On came the 
seething mass with mad, triumphant yells. 

Suddenly, from the walls, the sharp crack of musketry 
rang out. It was unexpected ; it was sharp and hot. 
For every spare musket in the fort was ready loaded, 
and men lay behind the shooters handing loaded guns 
to them as quickly as might be. The oncoming wave 
reeled. Stung to madness the elephants turned. In 
wild terror they broke through the crowding ranks behind 
them, trampling many to death. 

It was not only the gates which were attacked. 
Where the moat was dry, the besiegers swarmed thick 
and fast. But the fire from the fort was sharp and 
steady, and man after man went down. Part of the 
half-ruined moat was still full of water, and here the 
besiegers launched a heavily laden raft. The defenders 
fired upon it again and again, but each time they missed 
it. It had nearly crossed the ditch when Clive, noticing 
how badly the gunners were aiming, took one of the 
guns himself. He aimed coolly and well, hit the raft and 
overturned it. In a minute the water was full of 
wounded, struggling, drowning men. The few who 
could swim made for the bank and escaped. 

For an hour the fight lasted. Then the enemy fled, 
leaving four hundred dead and dying round the walls. 
Of the defenders, four only were killed and two wounded. 



890 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Now and again during the day the firing was renewed, 
but at last it ceased. The night passed in silence, and 
when the next morning dawned the enemy's camp was 
empty. They had fled in the darkness leaving their 
guns and ammunition behind. The siege, which had 
lasted seven weeks, was at an end. 

The siege of Arcot was the turning point of British 
fortunes in India. From there Clive marched out to 
win battle after battle. Many a time he led his men 
with reckless almost careless daring. But he seemed to 
bear a charmed life. Again and again by daring he 
won. Again and again his genius and his bravery carried 
him through the greatest of dangers. 

All this time the French and the British were only 
supposed to be helping the native rulers. But the real 
struggle was not between two Indian princes, but be- 
tween France and Britain, between Chve and Dupleix. 
They were both great men, but Dupleix was a statesman, 
not a soldier. He had to trust to others to carry out 
his plans and orders. And the French generals were 
old and stupid, while against them they had a * heaven 
born general ' young and eager. 

Soon it was the British, not the French, who were 
all-powerful in the Carnatic. The French nawab, 
Chanda Sahib, was killed, and the British nawab, 
Mohammed Ali, was put in his place. 

Then Clive, weary of war, and much in need of rest, 
sailed home. He had set out for India a poor and rather 
despised boy. He came home a hero and conqueror of 
world-wide fame. Wherever he went he was feted and 
cheered. The directors of the Company called him 
* General ' Clive although he was really only a captain. 
They loaded him with thanks, and presented him with 
a sword, the hilt of which was set with diamonds. 




'CLIVE I'lUED 0>*E OF THE UUIS6 HlilSEEF. 



THE SIEGE OF ARCOT 391 

Meanwhile Dupleix, Clive's great rival, struggled on 
trying to win back for France what had been lost. But 
he got little help or encouragement from home. His 
king did not care and did not understand what a great 
kingdom Dupleix had won, and with proper help might 
have been able to keep for him,— a kingdom larger than 
the whole of France itself. So at last Dupleix was 
called home in disgrace. For a few years he lived 
miserably, and at last died forsaken. Three days before 
he died he wrote, * I have given my youth, my fortune, 
my life, to enrich my country in Asia. My services are 
treated as fables, and 1 as the vilest of mankind.' 
La Bourdonnais too had been disgraced and imprisoned, 
and died in misery. 

They were not the last men who were to earn world- 
wide fame in India, and disgrace at home. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE BLACK HOLE 

While these things were passing in the Carnatic the 
British at Calcutta had been trading quietly, growing 
rich and prosperous, at peace with their Nawab. But 
in 1759 the Nawab died. He was succeeded by his 
adopted grandson, Suraj-ud-Daula, or, as the British 
soldiers and sailors called him, *Sir Roger Dowler.' 

Suraj-ud-Daula was bad and cruel. He hated the 
British and soon managed to pick a quarrel with them. 
He had several make-believe reasons for quarrelhng with 
them. One was that they had sheltered some of his enemies. 
Another was that they had begun to strengthen their 
fortifications without leave. The real reason was that 
he believed that the British were very wealthy and that 
vast treasure was gathered in Calcutta. He was greedy 
as well as cruel, and he wanted this treasure for himself. 

He now suddenly seized a factory at Cossimbazar 
which was near his capital. He plundered it and took 
all the British prisoner. Among the prisoners was a 
young man called Warren Hastings. Of him we shall 
hear again. 

Having plundered and destroyed Cossimbazar, Suraj- 
ud-Daula marched in haste against Calcutta with fifty 
thousand men. 

The walls of Calcutta were weak, the guns on Fort 
William old and very nearly useless. Around the town 



THE BLACK HOLE 893 

was a half-dug ditch, begun years before but never finished. 
Of the garrison not two hundred were British soldiers and 
not ten of them had ever been in battle in their lives. 
Among them was no man with knowledge or courage 
enough to be a leader. 

When the news that the Nawab and his army were 
coming reached Calcutta, everything was thrown into wild 
disorder. Batteries and earth-works were built in haste, 
but without any real knowledge of how best to defend the 
fort. Messages were sent to the Dutch and French factories 
near, begging for help. It was refused. 

On Wednesday, the 16th June, the Nawab's army 
swarmed into the native town around the fort, and 
fighting began. It was a fight at fearful odds. There 
were less than two hundred white men against a rabble 
of fifty thousand dark-faced heathen, mad with hate and 
greed. 

On Friday night the women and children, of whom 
there were many in the fort, were all taken safely to the 
ships which lay in the river. With them, to their shame 
be it said, went the president and the captain of the 
garrison. Then they sailed away leaving their comrades 
in the fort to their fate. In vain those left behind made 
signs to the ships to stop and wait. It would be dangerous 
the captain said, and he sailed on. Had they waited 
another tide every man in the fort might have been 
saved. 

Forsaken by their leader, the garrison chose a Mr. 
Holwell to be their head, and for two days longer the 
fort held out. But although Mr. Holwell did his best 
he was neither a soldier nor a leader of men. He could 
not keep the men in order, or make them fight and hope 
when all was hopeless. They became unruly, broke into 
the store, and were soon helplessly drunk. The Nawab's 



394 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

soldiers swarmed everywhere. Resistance was useless, and 
on Sunday afternoon the British yielded. 

There were one hundred and forty-six prisoners, among 
them one lady who had refused to leave her husband. For 
a short time they were gathered in the square of the 
barracks. There they stood and talked together, watching 
the flames from the burning town leap and flicker against 
the fast darkening sky, listening to the wild cries which 
reached them from without, and wondering what would 
be their fate. 

Then suddenly they were all ordered to march into a 
small prison house at the end of the barracks. This was 
a room about eighteen feet square with only two tiny 
barred windows. It was known as the Black Hole. 

At first the prisoners refused to believe the order. But 
striking them with their clubs, driving them at the sword's 
point, the Indians forced them in. Then the door was 
shut. 

In the tiny space there was no room to move. The 
prisoners were packed tightly against each other. The 
evening was hot and stiU. The breathless heat of an 
Indian summer night was made worse by the flames and 
smoke from the burning buildings all around. In a few 
minutes the heat became intolerable. Gasping for breath, 
raging with thirst, the wretched prisoners beat upon the 
door and shouted to their jailers to let them out. They 
threatened, they implored, all in vain. 

Instead of opening the door the natives brought lighted 
torches to the windows, so that they might the better see 
the agonies of their victims. 

' Water, water,' gasped the stifling wretches. Water at 
last was brought, but the skins in which it was carried could 
not be passed through the bars of the windows. It was 
poured into hats, it was spilled upon the ground, men 



THE BLACK HOLE 395 

fought for it like beasts, trampling each other down in 
their eagerness for a few drops which in the end only made 
their thirst the more unbearable. 

Then came the bitter cry for * Air, air.' Those who 
were far from the windows struggled and fought like 
demons to get near. Some fainted and slipping to the 
ground were trampled to death. Many went mad with 
horror and pain, and in the morning when at last the long 
agony was over, only twenty-three moaning, stricken 
spectres crept out. Among them was the lady who 
would not leave her husband. But she w^as alone, for he 
lay among the dead. 



CHAPTER X 

THE BATTLE OF PLASSEY 

Clive did not stay long in England. He soon returned 
to India with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and upon 
the terrible day of the Black Hole he landed again at 
Fort St. David. But in those days news travelled slowly, 
and it was not until August that the people of Madras 
heard of the cruel deed. Then, gathering an army of fifteen 
thousand sepoys and nine hundred British soldiers, Clive 
set out to avenge the death of his fellow-countrymen. The 
little army went by sea, with Admiral Watson in com- 
mand of the ships. Madras is a long way from Calcutta, 
and sailing in those days was a slow business, for the 
ships were often at the mercy of the winds. And although 
Clive set out in October, it was December before he reached 
Bengal. 

Clive lost no time in attacking the Nawab, and very 
soon Calcutta was in his hands. The Nawab marched to 
meet Clive with thousands of soldiers, with elephants, and 
horses, and cannon, which were both great and many. But 
Clive, with his little army, beat the Nawab so thoroughly 
that he was soon suing for peace. 

This Clive granted, the Nawab promising to restore 
all that he had stolen from Calcutta and to give more 
privileges to the British than they had had before. This 
was not a great triumph, and it hardly seemed as if 
Suraj-ud-Daula was punished enough for his cruel treat- 

390 



THE BATTLE OF PLASSEY 397 

ment of the British. But perhaps Clive thought that 
it would be difficult to force him to do more as he was 
so powerful. 

But Suraj-ud-Daula was treacherous as well as cruel. 
He had made promises, which he never meant to keep, 
merely in order to gain peace. Now he tried in every 
way that he could to wriggle out of these promises. He 
secretly wrote to the French and asked them to help him 
against the British. He did all manner of things, chang- 
ing his mind again and again. 

Clive at last grew tired of the Nawab's lying and 
wriggling, and made up his mind to put an end to it. 

Britain and France were again at war, for the Seven 
Years' War had begun. So Clive now besieged the French 
factory at Chandranagor. The French fought bravely, but 
Clive was more than a match for them, and after ten days 
they gave in. 

With the loss of Chandranagor French power in the 
north of India was at an end. For more than eighty years 
they had struggled with their rivals, the British, in trade. 
Now that struggle was over. Clive, having thus put an 
end to Suraj-ud-Daula's hope of help from the French, 
next turned to crush him. 

Suraj-ud-Daula, who was wicked and treacherous, 
was hated by all, and many even of his own followers 
were ready to betray him. Now, although it does 
not seem a very fine thing to do, Clive joined with 
these traitors in order to bring about the downfall of 
the Nawab. 

Mir Jafar, the commander-in-chief of Suraj-ud-Daula's 
army, was one of the discontented. Now Clive promised 
to make him Nawab if he would betray his master. 

Another of the traitors was Omi Chand, a very wealthy 
and very greedy Indian banker. 



398 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Clive plotted with these men, and all was nearly 
arranged when Omi Chand threatened to tell the Nawab 
all about it, unless the British promised him an immense 
sum of money for himself. 

Omi Chand was as wicked and as treacherous as 
Suraj-ud-Daula, * The greatest villain upon earth,' CUve 
calls him, and he thought that the best way to meet 
his lying was by lying. Chve had two treaties drawn 
up. One was written upon red paper and one on 
white. The one on red paper was only a sham treaty 
and in it Omi Chand was promised all that he wanted. 
In the other, which was the real treaty, his name was 
not mentioned. All the council signed both treaties 
except Admiral Watson. He would have nothing to 
do witli the deceit. But Clive was not to be stopped, 
and some one else signed Admiral Watson's name for 
him. 

Of course this was wrong, and this deed shows like 
a black blot among all the splendid and brave acts of 
Clive's life. But the position of the British in India was 
full of danger. They were but a handful of white men 
in the midst of millions of dark foes, and Chve thought 
that it was only by meeting treachery by treachery that 
he could save them aU from death. And he was never 
ashamed of it. 

Long afterward, when his enemies accused him of this 
deed, he said that he would do it again if the need came, 
' Yes, a hundred times I ' 

When Clive was ready to fight he sent a letter to 
Suraj-ud-Daula which made him see that he could no 
longer trifle. Then he gathered his army and marched to 
Plassey to meet the foe. 

But now Mir Jafar, who had quarrelled with the 
Nawab, made friends or seemed to make friends with 



THE BATTLE OF PLASSEY 899 

him again. Clive knew not what to do. Was Mir 
Jafar going to keep his word and help him, or was he 
not ? Without his help the risk of a battle was almost 
too great. If the British lost, it would mean an end to their 
power in Bengal. In this difficulty Clive called a council 
of war, and asked his officers what they would advise. 
* Shall we attack or shall we wait for more help ? ' he 
asked. Seven officers voted to attack, thirteen, Clive 
himself among them, voted to wait. 

So it was settled. There was to be no battle. 

After the council was over, Clive went away by himself 
and walked about for an hour thinking it all out again. 
As he was sitting under some trees still in doubt, a letter 
from Mir Jafar was brought to him. In this letter Mir 
Jafar swore that he was still faithful to CUve. This 
might be true or it might be false, but CUve had made 
up his mind. He would fight, come what would. Return- 
ing to the camp he gave orders to march. 

At six o'clock in the morning of 23rd June 1757, the 
battle of Plassey began, and by five in the afternoon the 
huge Indian army with elephants and camels, horses and 
clumsy ox-drawn cannon, was fleeing from the field. 
Mir Jafar had not helped Clive, neither, however, had 
he helped the Nawab. He had stood aloof waiting to 
see which side would win. And when the Nawab's 
most trusty general was killed and the Nawab himself 
in despair threw his turban on the ground at Mir Jafar's 
feet, begging for help, Mir Jafar soothed him with soft 
words. But instead of helping him he sent more messages 
to Clive. 

Plassey is one of the most important of Indian 
battles. It is not important because of the number 
kiUed — on CHve s side there were only twenty-two and 
on the Nawab's five or six hundred. It is important 



400 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

because at one blow it gave to Britain the whole of 
Bengal, for Mir Jafar was merely a tool in the hands of 
the British. 

When the battle was over Mir Jafar was not sure how 
Clive would receive him. But Clive had got all that he 
wanted, so he greeted him as the new Nawab, and with 
the usual great ceremonies he was seated upon the throne. 

But when Omi Chand appeared to receive his reward it 
was very different Chve, although he was many years 
in India, never learned to speak any of the Indian tongues. 
So now he turned to his secretary, ' It is time to undeceive 
Omi Chand,' he said. 

* Omi Chand,' said the secretary, * the red treaty is a 
trick. You are to have nothing.' 

The greedy banker could hardly believe his ears. 
Already he had been gloating over his ill-gotten gains. 
The shock of disappointment was too great. He fell 
back fainting in the arms of his servants. He never re- 
covered from the bitter blow. His mind was so shattered 
that he became quite foolish and childish and died some 
months later. 

Suraj-ud-Daula fell into the hands of Mir Jafar who 
put his late master cruelly to death. In this the British 
had no hand. 

But Mir Jafar, although he had got what he wanted, 
and was Nawab, soon found that it was not all a bed of 
roses. He had to pay immense sums of money to the 
British as a reward for having made him Nawab. To 
get this money he ground his people cruelly. Used as 
they were to tyranny, the oppression of Mir Jafar was 
more than even they could bear, and they rebelled. Out- 
side enemies threatened him too, and to put the rebellion 
down and drive out these enemies, Mir Jafar was obliged 
to ask help from Chve. 



THE BATTLE OF PLASSEY 401 

Clive gave the help but demanded still more money. 
So the Nawab was little better off than before. 

Mir Jafar raged with wrath. He felt that he was a 
mere puppet and that the British were the real rulers 
and he longed to be rid of them. So now he began 
to plot with the Dutch, who still had a factory in 
Bengal. But in a fight both by land and sea the British 
beat the Dutch. The power of Holland in India was 
destroyed for ever, and the British were supreme in 
Bengal. 



2c 



CHAPTER XI 

TIMES OF MISRULE 

In 1760 Clive again sailed home. He was only thirty- 
five but he was now enormously rich, a great soldier and 
conqueror, and perhaps the most famous man of his day. 
In England he was received with joy. Honours were 
heaped upon him. He was made a peer and became 
Lord Clive, Baron Plassey. 

But while Clive was being feted and feasted at home, 
Bengal was quickly sinking into a state of fearful 
confusion. 

Many of the British hated Mir Jafar, as he had been 
leader of the troops at the time of the Black Hole. 
They made up their minds to depose him and to set his 
son-in-law, Mir Cossim, in his place. This they very 
quickly did. But they soon found that the new Nawab 
was not so easily dealt with as the old, and quarrels 
began. 

Mir Jafar had been old and feeble and a mere tool in 
the hands of the British. Mir Cossim was young and 
clever, and anxious to free himself from their power. 
They, it was true, had put him on the throne, but he had 
paid them for that, and now he tried to show that he 
meant to rule without their help or their interference. 

The officers of the Company were very badly paid, 
some of them indeed receiving only a few pounds a year. 
It was quite impossible to live in India on such small 

402 



TIMES OF MISRULE 403 

sums. So, instead of attending to the work of the Com- 
pany only, every officer became a merchant on his own 
account, and bought and sold to the natives. This was 
called private trading and was forbidden by the directors of 
the Company, but in spite of that it was still continued. 

Soon all the trade of Bengal was in the hands of the 
white people, and the native traders were ruined. For 
they had to pay duty while the British were allowed to 
trade everywhere without paying duty. If a boat hoisted 
a British flag, or a trader showed a Company's passport, 
he could buy or sell as he pleased. The Company's 
officers made a great deal of money by selling passes to 
people who had nothing to do with the Company. They 
forced the natives to sell their goods cheaply, and made 
them pay dear for what they bought. In fact, they did 
as they liked. The whole land was filled with misery, 
and these years have been called the darkest in the history 
of British rule in India. 

The native people were utterly miserable, and the 
Nawab, too, became poor, for a great deal of his money 
came from customs and duties. And now all the money 
from them went into the pockets of the Company's ser- 
vants. Mir Cossim tried his best to make the British 
stop this inland trade and keep to the trade between 
India and Europe. This made the British traders angry, 
and both sides prepared for war. 

Mir Cossim gathered his army at his capital, 
Monghyr, on the Ganges. He thus lay between the 
British at Calcutta and at Patna, where they had another 
factory. 

The factory at Patna had no defences, and seeing 
themselves cut off from their friends, the British attacked 
and took the town of Patna, hoping to be able to defend 
themselves there. But they were not strong enough to 



404 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

keep the town, and the soldiers of the Nawab attacked 
and took it again from them. Many of the British were 
killed, and all the rest were taken prisoner. 

Mir Cossim rejoiced greatly at this victory, but when 
the British at Calcutta heard of it they were very wrath- 
ful, and, to punish Mir Cossim, they dethroned him, and 
again made Mir Jafar Nawab. 

Mir Jafar was by this time not only old, but iU and 
foolish. The traders, however, did not want a real ruler, 
they only wanted a figure-head, and he did as well as any 
other. 

The British now sent an army against Mir Cossim, 
and as they marched towards Patna, they beat his soldiers 
again and again. Then a massacre, quite as bad as that 
of the Black Hole, took place. For the Nawab, mad with 
anger, ordered his men to kill all the British prisoners. 

They had been shut up in a large house built round a 
square. Now three of the chief of them were brought 
out into this square, and there cruelly put to death. The 
Indians were then ordered to fire upon the rest who were 
quite unarmed. Against their fierce, dark foes, the white 
men defended themselves as best they could with bottles, 
sticks, bits of furniture, anything that they could find. 
But it was all useless, and soon the last man fell dead and 
their bodies were thrown into a weU. 

So the war began, and soon the whole country was 
ablaze, for the Nawab of Oudh and the Great Mogul both 
joined with Mir Cossim against the British. But they, 
when they heard of the massacre of Patna, swept with 
an avenging army over the land. For months the war 
lasted, and ended with the battle of Buxar. This was a 
victory as important as Plassey, for it made the British 
secure as the greatest power in India. 

The Nawab of Oudh and the Great Mogul made 



TIMES OF MISRULE 405 

peace. Utterly vanquished, Mir Cossim fled, to die a 
few years later in wretched exile. Yet Mir Cossim, 
with all his cruelty, had been a clever ruler. He had 
tried to do the best for his own people, and much of the 
trouble and war was no doubt due to the misrule of the 
Company's officers, which was such * as to make the very 
name of Briton a shame.' 

In those days it took a long time for news to travel 
home. But now every ship brought news of battles, 
revolutions, loss. At length the directors began 
to be alarmed. Filled with grief at the awful news of 
Patna, wearied with constant tidings of disaster and war, 
they begged Lord CUve to go back to India again and try 
to bring order once more into the terrible confusion 
there. And in 1764 Clive sailed again for Bengal. 

When Clive arrived he found that poor old Mir .Tafar 
was dead, and that the Company had enthroned another 
Nawab. He found, too, everything in such confusion 
that he wept ' for the lost fame of the British nation.' 

For eighteen months Clive stayed in India working 
hard. He had immense difficulties to fight — difficulties 
with the directors at home, with the Council in India, 
with the British soldiers and officers, with the natives and 
their rulers. But Clive had a will of iron, and aU that 
one man could do, he did. He sent away the men who 
had done the worst deeds, he put down mutinies, he 
made treaties with the native rulers, and at last brought 
some sort of order out of wild disorder. But he made 
many enemies and wore his health out, and after eighteen 
months he again went home. 

At first he was received with honour as before, and 
thanked for all that he had done. But soon his enemies 
began to attack him. They recalled again the deceit he 
had used against Omi Chand, they accused him of taking 



406 OUK EMPIRE STORY 

bribes, and of many other wicked deeds. Against these 
accusations Clive had to defend himself before the 
House of Commons. And he defended himself so well 
that the Commons, after much stormy debate, passed a 
resolution, *That Robert, Lord Clive, did render great 
and meritorious services to his country.' 

So Clive won the victory over his enemies. But the 
struggle had left him sad. He could not forget it. He 
suffered much, too, from a painful disease brought on by 
his hard life in India. And one day his friends found 
him dead, killed by his own hand. He was only forty- 
eight. 



CHAPTER XII 

WARREN HASTINGS, FIRST GOVERNOR-GENERAL 

When Clive left India, the British were really the rulers 
of all Bengal. There was still a Nawab, who lived in 
state, but he had really no power. He was a mere pre- 
tence. There was still a great Mogul, but he had 
neither land nor people, having been driven from his 
throne by the Afghans. He was even a greater pretence 
than the Nawab. But to him Clive agreed to pay £260,000 
a year for the province in Bengal, thus still owning him 
as over-lord. 

The revenues of Bengal, that is, all the money coming 
from taxes and customs, which are, as a rule, paid to the 
king or government, were now paid to the Company. 
But of this revenue they allowed the Nawab a salary, and 
paid the * tribute ' to the Mogul. 

But although the British were now, it might be said, 
the owners of the land, they did not trouble themselves 
about the happiness of the people. They took the money, 
but with it they took none of the duties of rulers, and 
soon the misery and poverty of the people became greater 
than before. The old Nawabs had perhaps spent their 
money badly, but they had at least spent it in the country. 
Now, that money was sent to China to buy tea and silks 
for the Company, or the officers of the Company took it 
home to spend in England, Thus, much of the wealth 
of India, instead of being * circulated,' that is, passed from 

407 



408 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

hand to hand among the people of India, was taken right 
out of the country, and the natives grew daily poorer and 
poorer. 

A few only made money. These were the rent col- 
lectors. Now that the Nawab and his officers had no 
power, there was no one who could keep these native 
collectors in check. For the British did not know how 
much the land was worth, or how much rent the farmers 
paid, or ought to pay. They had to believe what the 
native collectors told them, and they, knowing this, 
ground the poor to the last farthing, paying what they 
chose to the Company, and growing rich themselves. In 
a few years the state of Bengal was again one of hopeless 
misery and confusion. 

To make matters worse, in 1770 a fearful famine swept 
the land. Since then many famines have desolated India, 
but this was the first which had happened under British 
rule. Those in power were quite unprepared for it and 
knew not what to do. 

The misery was awful. The people, worn to skeletons, 
died by thousands. They fell by the wayside, many lay 
unburied, poisoning the air, many were thrown into the 
rivers, until the waters became so foul that people dared 
not even eat the fish. The farmers sold their cattle and 
their tools to buy food. They even sold their children, 
until no one could be found to buy any more. They ate 
the leaves of the trees and the grass of the field, until 
there was no green thing left. Horrible diseases followed 
in the train of famine, and when at last the misery was 
over, a third of the people had died. 

Many of those who still remained alive were ruined. 
It was impossible to gather rent from the starving and 
the penniless, and the Company received little or no 
money. 



WARREN HASTINGS 409 

Now, at last, the directors at home saw that there 
must be a change. They had ceased from being mere 
merchants to become rulers, and they must take up the 
duties of rulers. Some one, with a mind beyond bujdng 
and selling, must be at the head of the government. 
So it was that in 1772, Warren Hastings was made 
Governor of Bengal and first Governor- General of India. 
As Governor- General he ruled not only over Bengal, 
but over Madras, Bombay, and all British possessions in 
India. 

Warren Hastings had, you remember, been taken 
prisoner at Cossimbazar before the Black Hole tragedy. 
He had escaped from there, had fought at Plassey, and after 
a time gone home. He was now forty, and had been in 
the Company's service since the age of eighteen. He was 
not a soldier like Clive, he was a statesman. But, like 
Clive, who became a soldier without any training, he had 
become a statesman in the same way. 

Clive, by the sword, had won a great empire. It was 
Hastings who kept it and made British rule in India sure. 

When the new Governor came to Bengal he found a 
hard task before him. Everywhere there was confusion 
and oppression, and into this confusion he brought some 
rough order and justice. But in the doing of it he made 
many bitter enemies, enemies more bitter even than those 
CHve had made for himself. They hindered his work and 
made his life hard and difficult at the time, and they so 
blackened his name, that for a hundred years or more, 
people believed that Warren Hastings was a cruel, 
hard, unjust ruler. Now it has been shown that at a very 
difficult time he tried to do his best for the people of 
India and for the Company. And if he made mistakes, 
we may well believe that most men of his time would 
have made more. 



410 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

One of the first things which Warren Hastings did 
was to place British collectors over the native collectors 
in order to try to find out how much rent the farmers 
really paid. And although, for want of money and proper 
helpers, he could not make things quite right, still he 
made them better. 

He appointed judges to go round to the different 
towns and try those who had been thrown into prison, 
and often left there until they were almost forgotten. 
And although there were still Indian judges, a British 
judge, or collector, was always there to see that no cruel, 
barbarous punishment was carried out. In these, and 
other ways, Warren Hastings laid the foundations of 
British rule in India, 



CHAPTER XIII 

WARREN HASTINGS— WAR 

Although Hastings was no soldier he had battles to 
fight. 

The Marathas were a tribe of warlike Indians who 
every year swept over the land plundering and destroying. 
At first they were little more than mounted robbers, 
burning villages, wasting harvests, leaving a track of 
death and desolation behind them. But, as years went 
on, their power grew greater and greater. From a band 
of raiders they had grown to be a wealthy nation with a 
great army of well-drilled soldiers, and now they declared 
that they would conquer all India. 

Another people, called the Rohillas, hved in Northern 
India. Rohilla means mountaineer. These mountaineers 
were a wild and warhke set of raiders who had come from 
the hills of Afghanistan and settled in Northern India. 
The land of which they had taken possession they called 
Rohilkhand, or land of the Rohillas. 

The Mardthas now made war on the Rohillas, and they, 
in their need, begged the Nawab of Oudh to help them. 
The Nawab promised to do this if they would pay him a 
large sum of money. This the Rohillas gladly said they 
would do, but when, with the Nawab's help, the Marathas 
had been driven back, the Rohillas refused to pay. 

For this the Nawab of Oudh resolved to punish them, 
and he asked Hastings to help him. 

Hastings did not want to fight the Rohillas. Neither 

411 



412 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

did he want to offend the Nawab of Oudh, who was now 
friendly. For Oudh lies next to Bengal, and Hastings 
was anxious to keep a friendly state between British India 
and the states around, where the princes were always fight- 
ing with each other. He wanted a ' buffer state ' in fact — 
a state to soften the blows which might be aimed at him. 

He was also in need of money, for the directors kept 
writing letters saying, * Be just, govern well, but send us 
money.' It was very hard to do both as things then were. 
So now Hastings decided that, although the British had 
no quarrel with the Rohillas, it would be well to help the 
people of Oudh to fight them if the Nawab would pay for 
the help. The Nawab readily promised a large sum of 
money, and the Company's soldiers were sent to help him 
against his enemies. 

In a battle, which the British leader called the battle 
of St. George because it was fought on St. George's day, 
the Rohillas were utterly defeated and their leader slain. 

The most of the fighting had as usual fallen to the 
share of the British. But when the Rohillas had been 
beaten, when they broke and scattered, when before the 
gHttering bayonets of the redcoats they swept forward in 
mad flight, then the men of Oudh dashed after them and 
began a fearful slaughter and pillage. The Rohillas left all 
their camp baggage behind, and while the men of Oudh 
plundered it, the British soldiers looked on somewhat 
scornful and discontented. * We have the honour of the 
day, these robbers the profit,' they said as they saw the 
piles of gold and gems and rich stuffs laden upon camels 
and elephants to be carried back to Oudh. 

But the Nawab paid the money he had promised, and 
the British had still a friendly state upon their borders. 

Soon after this, three new councillors were sent out 
from England to Calcutta. These three men knew 



WARREN HASTINGS— WAR 413 

nothing of India or of the Indian people. They were 
jealous of Hastings and angry at the things he did. On 
the council there were now five — Hastings, and one friend, 
and these three. But as the three always voted together, 
and against the Governor and his friend, for some years 
they did very much as they liked, and although he was 
Governor- General, Hastings had really little power. 

The natives soon began to see that Sahib Warren 
Hostein, as they called him, was no longer all powerful, 
and now one of them, who hated him, thought that the 
time was come when he might be overthrown. 

This man was caUed Nuncomar. He was one of the 
most important among the natives, but he was a bad old 
man. Yet, although he was bad, he was clever and useful. 
So the directors told Hastings to employ him. Hastings 
did, but he disliked the old villain so much that he would 
rather have had nothing to do with him. Nuncomar knew 
this very well, and he became the Governor- General's 
deadly enemy. 

Now, knowing that the three EngUsh gentlemen on 
the council were also the enemies of Hastings, Nuncomar 
wrote a letter to them, accusing Hastings of taking bribes 
and of other wickedness. 

The letter was read at the council, and the three wished 
to bring Nuncomar in to hear what he had to say. The 
idea that these Englishmen should take the word of a 
wicked old Indian against one of themselves was more 
than Hastings could bear. He was very angry. * I will 
not suffer Nuncomar to appear before the board as my 
accuser,' he said. ' I know what belongs to my dignity 
as head of it. I will not sit at this board as a criminal, 
nor do I acknowledge the members as my judges.' Then 
Hastings left the room. 

But the council would not be stopped, for they intended 



414 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

to ruin Hastings. When he had gone they made one 
of themselves chairman. Nuncomar was called in and 
questioned, and without more ado, and without any 
proof, they decided that Hastings had been guilty of 
bribery, and ordered him to repay the money he had 
taken. 

Hastings of course refused. He did not admit that 
the three had any right to try or condemn him. And now 
other natives, terrified by the threats of Nuncomar, or 
bribed by his gold, made bold to accuse Hastings of all 
manner of cruelty and injustice. It seemed as if the 
authority of the Governor- General was at an end, and that 
there was nothing left for him but to give up his post and 
go home. 

Then suddenly bad old Nuncomar was accused in his 
turn of forgery. To forge, in this sense, means to make 
something false, meaning, for some wicked reason, to 
pretend that it is real. Nuncomar had written out a 
paper making beHeve that it was written by some one else, 
and by this means had got a large sum of money to which 
he had no right. 

This was only one of the many bad things which 
Nuncomar had done in his life. But it was enough. He 
was seized, put in prison, and tried before four British 
judges. They, finding that he was guilty, condemned 
him to death. Nowadays, no man would be hanged for 
forgery, but in those days it was the law of Britain. It 
was not, however, the law among the Indians. Indeed, 
lying and cheating did not seem to them to be very 
wicked. 

Besides, Nuncomar was a Brahmin. The people of 
India were divided into castes or classes. Of the four 
chief castes, the highest and sacred class was the Brahmiu. 
Next came the Royal caste, then the Merchant, and last, 



WAKREN HASTINGS— WAR 415 

the Sudras or slave or servant caste. Each caste kept 
strictly to itself, and no man might marry any one who 
was not of his own caste, so they never became mixed. 
There are still castes in India, but the two middle classes 
have almost passed away, and the Sudras are split up 
mto many sub- castes. 

Brahmins were looked upon as sacred. If any one 
killed one even by mistake, the deed was looked upon 
with horror. Now the people of India found it hard to 
beheve that their terrible white masters really meant, of 
set purpose, to put a Brahmin to death. They shuddered 
at the thought. But Nuncomar was hated by all, and no 
man, either British or Indian, not even his friends the 
three councillors, tried to save him. 

And so one August morning a great crowd, brown- 
faced, bright-eyed, eager and wondering, gathered to see 
the end of the mighty Brahmin. Nuncomar marched to 
death in a calm and stately manner. His white head was 
bowed to a dishonoured grave, but he showed neither fear 
nor shame. Around him his friends wept and howled in 
an agony of farewell. But he stood unmoved. It was 
God's wiU, he said. And so with unshaken, eastern calm 
he died. 

Breathless, wide eyed, the swaying crowd watched. 
Then when all was over, they fled shrieking with fear and 
horror, many in their terror plunging into the waters of 
the Hooghly. So great was the shock of this deed to the 
Indian mind that not a few Brahmin famiUes fled from 
the town altogether, and for years it was looked upon as 
a place accursed. 

The death of Nuncomar removed Hastings' greatest 
enemy, and because he was Hastings' enemy, and because 
one of the judges was Hastings' friend, it was said that 
the Governor- General had tried to have Nuncomar hanged 



416 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

But there was never any real reason for believing that. 
Nuncomar was hanged, not because he was Hastings' 
enemy, but because he was found guilty of forgery, and, 
according to the ideas of the time, was deserving of 
death. 

One enemy was thus removed, yet Hastings had still 
to fight his councillors, who hated him as much or even 
more than before. But first one died, and then another, 
and the third and bitterest went home, leaving Hastings 
at last free to rule as he thought best. 

Meantime, while Hastings was struggling to hold 
and rule British India, the government at home was 
flinging away the colonies on the other side of the world, 
for the war of American Independence had begun. The 
French helped the Americans, and war between Great 
Britain and France was declared. In India, too, there 
was war — in Bombay, Madras, and Bengal. There was 
war with the Marathas ; there was war with a fierce 
Mohammedan leader called Hyder Ali, who, after deposing 
the rightful ruler of Mysore, swept the Carnatic with his 
terrible host, and swore to conquer all Southern India ; 
there was war with the French who still possessed Pondi- 
cherry and some other towns. They helped the 
Marathas, and still more they helped Hyder Ali. There 
were battles and sieges, defeats and victories. 

But in 1782 Hyder Ali died, weary of warring against 
a powerful nation who might have been his friends, and 
begging his son to make peace. The Marathas, too, made 
peace, promising no more to help the enemies of the 
British, and in 1783, the news of the Peace of Versailles 
reached India and put an end to the war between French 
and British. So everywhere there was peace. 

Then in 1785, after sixteen years of toil, Warren 
Hastings sailed home, leaving all India at rest. 



WARREN HASTINGS— WAR 417 

At first Hastings was received with honour even as 
Clive had been. But his enemies had been at work, and 
before many months had passed, he was called to account 
for many of his deeds in India. 

Hastings was impeached. In Great Britain to 
impeach means the process by which any man may be 
called upon by the Commons to defend himself before 
the House of Lords, for treason or other high crimes 
against the state. 

Hastings was accused of cruelty, bribery, and misrule 
in many ways. He knew that the charges brought 
against him were for the most part untrue, or so twisted 
by hate as to seem much worse than they were, and 
he defended himself well. * Every department of the 
government which now exists in Bengal,' he said, * is of 
my making. The office formed for the service of the 
revenue, the courts of civil and criminal justice were 
created by me. To sum up all, I kept these provinces 
in a state of peace, plenty, and safety, when every other 
member of the British Empire was fuU of wars and 
tumults. The valour of others won ; I enlarged and gave 
shape to the dominion you hold there. I preserved 
it. I maintained the wars which were of your making 
or that of others, not of mine. I am accused of desolating 
the provinces in India which are the most flourishing of 
aU the states in India. It was I who made them so. 
I gave you all; and you reward me with confiscation, 
disgrace, and a life of impeachment.' 

But in spite of aU that Hastings might say, the trial 
dragged on for seven long years, filling his life with 
anxiety and trouble. But at last it came to an end, and 
the Lords declared Hastings * not guilty. ' 

So the little, bald old man, who yet looked every inch 
a great man, went away to live quietly in his beautiful 

2d 



418 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

house, there to forget in a simple country Ufe the glories 
and the troubles of the first Governor- General of 
India. 

Once, many years later, when Parliament wished to 
know something about India, Hastings was called upon 
to attend. As he entered, the Commons received him 
with cheers. They listened respectfully to what he had 
to say, and, when he had finished, they rose to a man and 
stood bareheaded until he had passed from the haU. The 
Lords, too, treated him with Hke honour. So it seemed 
that even in his own day, his name was cleared. Yet 
there were many people who still beUeved that Hastings 
had been a cruel ruler. There are many who believe so 
to this day. Of course many things were done in those 
first years of British rule in India which would seem very 
terrible to us now. But we cannot judge those times 
as we would our own. And the people of Bengal did 
not think of Hastings as cruel. To them he was a 
deliverer rather than a tyrant. The men admired him, 
and the women sang their children to sleep with songs 
of the wealth and the might of the great Sahib Warren 
Hostein. 

At last, at the great age of eighty-seven, Hastiugs died. 
To the end he was a kindly, cheerful, brave old man, 
taking an interest in aU around him, and ruling his 
estate with as great care as he had ruled the broad lands 
of India. 



CHAPTER XIV 

TIPPOO SULTAN 

In 1786, the year after Hastings came home, Lord 
Cornwallis went out to India as Governor- General and 
Commander-in-Chief. Unlike Hastings or the governors 
before him. Lord Cornwallis was not in the service of 
the Company. He was the first Governor who had had 
nothing to do with the Company, and he was the first 
British peer to rule in India. 

When Lord Cornwallis was first asked to go to India 
he refused. * I have no wish,' he said, ' to forsake my 
children and every comfort on this side of the grave to 
quarrel with the Supreme Government of India whatever 
it may be ; and finally to run the risk of being beaten 
by some Nawab and disgraced to all eternity.' But at 
length, ' with grief of heart,' he consented to go. 

Lord CornwaUis tried to keep the peace in India 
which Hastings had left. But he soon found himself 
forced into war with Tippoo Sultan the * tiger of Mysore,' 
the son of the fierce Hyder AH. At first Tippoo got the 
best of things, but in the end he was defeated. He 
was made to pay a large sum of money, and to give his 
two sons into the keeping of Lord CornwaUis as surety 
that he would keep the peace. 

CornwaUis improved what Hastings had begun both 
as to the coUecting of rents and the courts of justice. In 
this he was helped by Mr. John Shore, who, when Lord 

il9 



420 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Comwallis went home, became for a short time Governor- 
General. He was made a baronet and later became 
Lord Teignmouth. 

He was the first British ruler to put down one of 
the terrible Indian customs. This was called * sitting in 
dharna.' 

The hfe of a Brahmin was, as you remember, sacred, 
and any man who killed a Brahmin, or even who caused 
his death without meaning it, was accursed. If a 
Brahmin therefore hated a Hindu for any cause, he 
simply sat down on his doorstep and refused to move, 
to eat, to drink, or to sleep. This was sitting in dhama. 

The poor Hindu dared not go out or in, for fear of 
injuring the Brahmin. He dared not eat or drink, while 
the Brahmin fasted. He was caught hke an animal in 
a trap. There was no escape, and he stayed there until 
he died of hunger and fear. 

Lord Teignmouth made sitting in dharna a crime, and 
so one horrible custom was done away with. 

The next Governor- General was Lord Wellesley, the 
elder brother of Arthur WeUesley who was later the 
great Duke of Wellington. 

At this time Napoleon was conquering Egypt. To 
him this was merely the first step towards India. He 
meant to conquer that too, and drive the British out. 
So the French became very busy in India. Tippoo 
Sultan, who had already been beaten by Lord Cornwallis, 
made a secret treaty with the French against the British. 
And both the Nizam of the Deccan and the Marathas 
had large armies which were officered by Frenchmen. 
So when Lord Wellesley arrived in India, he found him- 
self, as it were, surrounded by Frenchmen. He quite 
expected any day to see French ships arrive to help 
Tippoo, or the Nizam, or the Marathas. 



TIPPOO SULTAN 421 

Lord Wellesley, like nearly all the British of his day, 
hated the French and doubly hated Napoleon. And he 
was as fuU of dreams of driving the French out of India 
as Napoleon was of driving the British out. Lord 
Wellesley 's thoughts were not at all turned to trade 
He thought only of Empire, so his first desire was to 
get rid of the French officers and sepoys, and try to 
persuade the native rulers to make friends with the 
British, instead of with the French. 

The Nizam was quite willing to be friends with the 
British, for he thought that they would protect him from 
the Marathas, who were now the strongest native power 
in all India, and who were eager to be stiU greater. So 
some British troops were sent to the Nizam's capital, 
Hyderabad. Then the French sepoys were drawn up 
and told that they were no longer needed, and might go. 
But the sepoys had not been paid for months, and when 
they reahsed that they were being sent away without 
being paid, murmurs and then yeUs of discontent broke 
from the ranks. At the best of times they were a wild 
undisciplined army. Now they turned upon their French 
officers with such fury, that they fled to the British camp 
for refuge. 

When the British heard what the riot was about, they 
paid the men. Greatly delighted at their unexpected 
good fortune, the sepoys scattered to their homes, and in 
a few hours the Nizam's French army had vanished. 
The officers were sent home to France. Wellesley 
promised to help the Nizam with British soldiers, should 
he be attacked, and the Nizam, on his side, promised not 
to go to war without first asking British consent. Thus 
one enemy was got rid of, and soon all fear of iuvasion 
by the French was over, for the news that Nelson had 
shattered their fleet in the Nile was brought to India. 



422 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Lord Wellesley next tried to make peace with the 
Marathds. But the Marathas were not at all anxious to 
make friends with the British. They were great and 
powerful, and feared no one. They were willing enough 
to help the British in battle if they were paid. But they 
were just as willing to help their enemies. They would 
fight for those who paid most. 

With Tippoo there was no making friends at all. He 
hated the British too thoroughly, and in 1799 war with 
him began. Among the British leaders in this war was 
Colonel Arthur Wellesley. 

Battles were fought in which Tippoo was beaten 
again and again, and at last he was shut up in his capital, 
Seringapatam. 

Now Tippoo asked for peace. * Half your land and 
two million pounds,' were Lord Wellesley 's terms. 

Beaten though he was, these terms were too hard for 
Tippoo. * Better,' he cried, * to die like a soldier than to 
live a pensioned Nawab.' 

For a month the siege of Seringapatam lasted. Food 
was growing scarce in the British camp, when at last the 
town was stormed and taken. 

The defenders fought bravely. Among them might 
be seen the short, stout figure of Tippoo clad in a dress of 
white and crimson. But at last, wounded in four places, 
he fell dead. Still his soldiers fought on, and when at 
last Seringapatam was taken, and the British flag floated 
upon the walls, his body was found buried beneath those 
of his followers. 

Tippoo, being dead, and his capital taken, the whole of 
his land, called Mysore, fell into the hands of the British. 
Lord Wellesley divided it into three. Part he put under 
the rule of the Company, adding it to the Madras Presi- 
dency. Part he gave to the Nizam, who had helped him 




' TIPPOO SULTAN'S BODY "WAS FOUND BURIED BENEATH THOSE OF HIS FOLLOWERS.' 



TIPPOO SULTAN 428 

in the war, and part he formed into a new kingdom, and 
upon the throne he placed a little boy, a descendant of 
the king whom Hyder Ali had driven out. But this 
kingdom was really under British rule also. 

Tippoo had been such a cruel ruler, that all over 
India there was rejoicing at his downfall, and the people 
made songs about it which were remembered and sung for 
long after. 

Fill the wine-cup fast for the storm is past, 
The tyrant Tippoo is slain at last, 
And victory smiles 
To reward the toils 
Of Britons once again. 

Let the trumpet sound, and the sound go round 

Along the bound of Eastern ground; 

Let the Cymbals clang 

With a merry merry bang. 

To the joys of the next campaign. 



CHAPTER XV 

WARRIOR CHIEFTAINS 

When Seringapatam was taken, letters from the Nawab 
of the Carnatic were found in Tippoo's palace. These 
letters showed that the Nawab had been plotting with 
Tippoo against the British. The Nawab was by this time 
very ill, almost dying indeed. So Lord Wellesley let 
him die in peace, then he told his family that their 
treachery had been found out, and that they could no 
longer be allowed to reign. He then took possession of 
the Carnatic and added it to the Madras Presidency. 
Thus all the coast of India, from Bengal to Cape Co- 
morin (except Pondicherry), was now under British rule, 
and instead of stretching only a mile inland, in the south 
of the peninsula, British possessions stretched from sea to 
sea. 

When Wellesley wrote home to tell of these triumphs, 
he said, remembering what had befallen Clive and Hast- 
ings, * I expect either to be hanged or rewarded. In either 
case I shaU be satisfied, for an English gaUows seems better 
than an Indian throne.' 

WeUesley, however, was not hanged. He was thanked 
and rewarded as the conqueror of the tyrant Tippoo. 
He was given a large sum of money and was made an 
Irish marquess. But, far from thinking this honour great, 
he called it his *gilt potato.' Such was the pride of 
' the glorious little man ' as his friends loved to call him. 



WARRIOR CHIEFTAINS 425 

The Mardthas were now the only great danger to 
British power in India. But they were a great danger. 
In the north, indeed, Oudh lay between British India and 
the land of the Marathds. But the rule of the Nawab 
of Oudh had grown weak, and his native army became 
hardly more than a rabble of wild, mutinous soldiers, 
which cost him a great deal, and were of little use. 

It was plain to Lord WeUesley, that in case of war, 
Oudh would be no defence. Besides the Marathds, he 
feared the Afghans. He knew that often before they 
had descended from their mountains in conquering 
hordes. Now, he was afraid that once again they might 
attack Oudh, and from there sweep over Bengal. 

So Lord Wellesley made the Nawab disband his 
soldiers, and in return for part of Oudh, he promised the 
Nawab to protect and fight for him. This was called the 
treaty of Lucknow, and by it, still more of India was 
added to the possessions of the Company. 

But now the Marathds began to quarrel among them- 
selves, and at last their over-lord, who was called the 
Peshwd, fled to the British for protection. 

Wellesley consented to help and protect him, but he 
demanded a great deal in return. The Peshwa was a 
weak young man, he was mad with fear, and was ready 
to consent to anything. And by the treaty of Bassein, 
signed on the 31st of December 1802, he became little 
else than the vassal of the Company. 

The Peshwa gave up part of his land to the British ; 
he promised not to go to war without British consent, to 
make no treaties whatsoever, and to take no Frenchmen 
or any other European into his service. 

Lord Wellesley made much the same kind of treaty 
with several of the native princes. These treaties were 
called Subsidiary Alliances. A Subsidiary Alliance 



426 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

means a union for help. It generally means the union of 
a lesser or weaker power with a greater. The Indian 
princes paid a * subsidy ' or sum of money, in return for 
which, the British promised them soldiers, help, and pro- 
tection in time of war. 

By making these treaties with native rulers, Wellesley 
hoped to force them to keep peace with each other, so 
that there might not only be peace within British India 
itself, but around its borders. But when the other 
Mardtha chiefs heard of the treaty of Bassein, they were 
very angry. They would by no means suffer the over- 
lordship of the Company, and they prepared to fight. 
One of their chief leaders was called Sindhia. He was 
young, vain, and proud. He had hoped one day to 
make himself Peshwa, but now this treaty had * taken 
the turban off his head,' he said. 

So Sindhia gathered an army and war began. This is 
called the second Marathd war, as the first was fought in 
the time of Hastings. 

At first the Marathds did not seem sure of what to 
do. They marched back and forth with restless haste, 
now here, now there. But at last British and Indian 
forces met in a great battle at Assaye. 

On the British side the leader was General Arthur 
Wellesley. He had only a small army, but, as so often 
before, the small British force beat a huge Indian army. 
Yet the fight was fierce, and when the battle was over, 
many of the British lay dead. But the Marathas were 
fleeing from the field and the power of Sindhia Was 
broken. Assaye was fought on the 23rd of September 
1803, and is one of the greatest of Indian battles. 

Other battles, other victories followed. In the north, 
in Hindustan, a British army fought against the French 
sepoy troops. There, too, they gained victory after vie- 



WARRIOR CHIEFTAINS 427 

tory, and at last, in a battle called Laswari the French 
sepoys, * who fought like demons rather than like heroes/ 
were scattered for ever. 

The war had begun in September. It was over in 
December. On the 30th of that month, proud, vain 
Sindhia signed a treaty by which he owned the Company 
as over-lord. 

Of all the Maratha chieftains, only one now refused 
to bend to British power. His name was Jeswant Rao 
Holkar. He had no dreams of Empire, but was a wild, 
free, raiding horseman like his forefathers, who had been 
a terror to India. From his capital of Indore he swept 
out with his robber horsemen, plundering and wasting at 
will. 

Like the freebooting Scots of old, he and his men 
rode with a bottle of water and a bag of grain at their 
saddle-bow, caring not through what desolate country 
they passed. They lurked in the hills, they dashed upon 
the enemy unawares, slaughtering stragglers, but never 
meeting them face to face in open battle. 

While the Maratha war lasted, Holkar robbed and 
plundered at will. Now he was warned to keep within 
his own land, and cease from hurting the friends of the 
British. 

But Holkar was proud and haughty. The length and 
breadth of India was his if he chose to claim it, and he 
threatened to burn towns and villages and slaughter the 
people by hundreds and thousands, if he were not allowed 
to take what he thought was his due, and rob and plunder 
where he pleased. 

This was not to be endured, so a campaign against 
this haughty chieftain began. 

At first, things went well. Then came disaster. A 
small British force under Colonel Monson found itself 



428 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

face to face with the whole of Holkar's army. Monson 
had food for only two days, and suddenly struck with 
fear he turned his back upon the enemy, and marched 
away. 

Now came the wild chieftain's chance. His light 
horsemen followed and harassed the retreating British, 
dashing upon them unawares, swooping down upon strag- 
glers, surrounding and slaying those who went in search 
of food. Hungry and weary the British toiled on. The 
rains began and the rivers became swollen and impassable 
torrents. The roads were churned to seas of mud in 
which the wheels of the gun carriages sank axle deep, 
so they had to be left behind and the ammunition 
destroyed. Wet and weary, covered with mud, stricken 
with sickness and famine, the men lost heart. The 
retreat became a rout, and after weeks of toil and suffer- 
ing, a battered few reached Agra. ' I have lost the 
flower of the army,' writes the commander, ' and how 
they are to be replaced at this hour, heaven only knows. 
I have to lament the loss of some of the finest young 
men and most promising of the army.' 

Holkar was now insolently triumphant and he began 
to besiege Delhi. But although he and his barbarous 
hosts swarmed around the ten miles of shattered wall and 
fallen rampart, they were bravely held at bay by the 
mere handful of determined men within. Then hearing 
that another British army was coming, he marched away, 
plundering and destroying as he went, the fires of burn- 
ing villages and the blood of the slain marking the road 
by which he passed. 

But Holkar's triumph was not for long. He, too, was 
beaten at last, and was sadly forced to bow the knee 
before the might of the British. 



CHAPTER XVI 

THE MUTINY OF VELLORE 

Now suddenly there came an end to Wellesley's * forward 
policy ' as it was called. 

At first both the directors of the Company and the 
Parliament of Britain had been dazzled by the way in 
which he had brought prmce after prince under the rule 
of the British. But the directors soon began to be 
annoyed and anxious too. It was trade and money that 
they wanted and not Empire. And instead of bringing in 
money, Lord WeUesley's wars swallowed it up. Then 
when the news that a bandit chieftain had destroyed a 
troop of British soldiers reached home, their patience gave 
out and their fears increased. They thought that the 
whole of the Marathas would again rise. The idea, too, 
that India could only be ruled weU and kept in peace by 
forcing the native princes to bow to British law, was new 
to them. They did not see the need or the use of all 
Lord Wellesley's alhances with native rulers. They were 
tired of wars, so Lord WeUesley was recalled, and Lord 
Cornwallis sent out again as Governor- General. 

Lord WeUesley returned home a sorely disappointed 
man. But he left his mark on Indian history. He 
founded the first coUege for officers of the Company at 
Calcutta, and he may be said to be the founder of the 
Indian Civil Service as it is to-day. 

Lord Cornwallis came to India the second time with 

429 



430 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

orders to free the princes from their treaties, and not to 
interfere any more in their quarrels with each other or 
with their subjects. But Cornwallis was now an old 
man, and he had not been more than ten weeks in 
India when he died. So the orders of the directors were 
not fuUy carried out, neither were the plans of WeUesley 
followed, and for two years India was full of unrest. 
Holkar, on the eve of being conquered, was not con- 
quered. AU his lands were given back to him, and 
although he was made to promise not to disturb British 
possessions, he burned, plundered, and slaughtered in 
Rajputana, which was not under British protection. 
Holkar became more and more haughty and wild. He 
fought and drank until he made himself mad, and was 
at length shut up as a madman, until he died. 

Yet within the borders of British India there had 
been peace for a time. Now suddenly it was broken. 

The army officers at Madras began to think that the 
sepoys would look much better if they were all dressed 
alike. So the commander forbade them to wear earrings 
or * caste ' marks. They were also ordered to shave their 
beards and trim their moustaches all ahke, and worst of 
all, they were made to give up wearing turbans, and told 
to wear a round black hat very much hke what Europeans 
wore. 

The Madras sepoys hated all these new orders, and to 
make matters worse, the other natives taunted them and 
laughed at them. They said that this was only a 
beginning, and that soon their white masters would 
force them to give up both caste and rehgion, and become 
Christian. 

Stories of then* discontent and anger were brought to 
the officers. But they did not believe them, or did not care, 
and they insisted that the new orders should be obeyed. 



THE MUTINY OF VELLORE 431 

At the fortress of Vellore there lived the sons and 
relatives of Tippoo Sultan who had died, you remember, 
fighting against the British. 

Here there was a garrison of less than four hundred 
British, and about fifteen thousand sepoys. And it was 
here that the anger of the sepoys broke out, encouraged, 
it is thought, by these Indian princes. 

In the early dawn of a July morning, the sepoys 
silently and stealthily surrounded the barracks and the 
houses of the officers. All was still and quiet, when 
suddenly the hush of the morning was broken by 
the loud crack of guns. Through the windows of the 
barracks the sepoys poured voUey after volley upon the 
sleeping men. Some of the officers, awakened by the 
noise, ran out of their houses to see what the matter was. 
They were shot down upon their doorsteps. Others were 
slaughtered in their beds. Before they could arm or 
defend themselves, every officer and half of the men 
were killed. But at last those who remained drove the 
mutineers back and took refuge in a jutting out part of 
the fortifications near the gateway. Here they awaited 
help, for they managed in some way to send news of the 
mutiny to Arcot. 

In the meantime the flag of Tippoo was planted upon 
the walls, and the rebel sepoys were feasted by the native 
princes. 

Help was not long in coming. Arcot was only eight 
miles away, and there was a brave and eager officer called 
Colonel Gillespie. As soon as he heard the news he 
gathered his men and galloped to Vellore as fast as he 
could. So eager was he that he outstripped his men and 
arrived first at the gates. He found them fast shut, and 
guarded by the mutineers. Alone thus against the 
enemy he was in great danger. But the British soldiers 



482 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

on the rampart, when they saw him, buckled theur sword 
belts together into a long rope, and, letting it down over 
the wall, drew the gallant colonel up into safety. 

Soon the troopers and two cannon arrived. They 
burst the gate open, rushed in and charged the mutineers* 
Everywhere the rebel sepoys gave way. They could not 
stand before British bayonets. Some fled, others were 
taken prisoner, and four hundred lay dead among the 
narrow streets of VeUore. 

Colonel Gillespie with his quick action had broken 
the spirit of the mutiny. There were other riots both 
near and far, which showed how widespread had been the 
discontent. But the British were now on their guards 
and the worst of the danger was over. 



CHAPTER XVII 

THE GHURKAS 

It was in the year 1813 that a great change took place in 
the trade with India. As the Company became more 
and more rulers they became less and less traders. Indeed, 
instead of making money by their trade, they lost it. Yet 
they had a monopoly of the trade with India, and no one 
else was allowed to take part in it. Indeed no European 
was allowed to live in British India unless he held a post 
in the Company. 

Besides this all the goods from or to India had to pass 
through the India House and the Port of London, and 
rising ports, such as Liverpool or Glasgow, had no hope of 
any profit from it. For not only had all the goods to go 
to London, but they had all to be carried in ships belong- 
ing to the Company. 

At last the other merchants and shipowners of Great 
Britain began to be impatient of the Company's monopoly 
and wanted to share in the Indian trade. Napoleon, too, 
was stiU trying to ruin British trade by shutting all the ports 
on the Continent to our goods. And the manufacturers 
and millowners of Lancashire and Yorkshire saw in India 
a new outlet for their wares. 

So merchants and shipowners sent petitions to Parlia- 
ment begging that the trade of India might be made free 
to aU. The directors of the Company, although they were 
now losing money, were bitterly opposed to this. But the 

2£ 



434 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

people of Britain won the day. In 1813, when the Charter 
of the Company was renewed, the ports of India were 
opened to all the merchants of Great Britain, who were 
free to trade from their own ports, and to carry goods in their 
own ships and not in those of the Company only. But 
people who wished to Uve in India had still to get a 
licence from the Company. It was not until twenty 
years later that any one who liked was allowed to live 
there. 

For some years after Lord Wellesley left, the plan of 
not interfering with the native states and their wars was 
followed in India. In Central India the wild Marathas 
and a still wilder tribe called the Pindaris plundered and 
spoiled at will. Meantime the British were occupied 
fighting the French both at home and abroad. But that 
struggle was coming nearly to an end, when in 1813 
Lord Hastings went to India as Governor- General and 
the new trade began. This Lord Hastings has of course 
nothing whatever to do with Warren Hastings, the first 
Governor- General. 

At home Lord Hastings had been one of those who 
had found fault with Lord Wellesley 's wars and conquests. 
But he had hardly arrived in India when he was obhged 
to change his mind, for he found himself forced into war. 

The Marathas, the Pindaris, and a third people called 
the Ghurkas had made Central India a waste of misery. 
The Ghurkas were a warlike race from the mountains of 
Cashmere. They were small and hardy. From their 
mountains they had swept down upon the peaceful 
province of Nepal, which lies along the base of the 
Himalayas, and completely conquered the people. Having 
conquered the people of Nepal and taken their lands, the 
Ghurkas next attacked towns and villages within British 
borders. 



THE GHURKAS 435 

At first, for the sake of peace, and to carry out 
the orders of the directors about not interfering, no 
notice was taken. Finding that the British did nothing, 
the Ghurkas grew bolder and bolder. At last their attacks 
became so bold, that just before Lord Hastings arrived, the 
governor sent a message to the Ghurka chief ordering 
him to give up the British lands of which he had taken 
possession. 

The Ghurka chief, having so long done as he liked, 
and still thinking he could go on doing as he liked, 
refused. Then war began, for Lord Hastings saw that 
there would never be peace in India until these bandit 
chiefs were made to keep the peace even within their own 
borders. 

The Ghurkas were proud and haughty. They were 
a brave and fearless race of mountaineers, and they did 
not fear the British. *What power can fight against 
us in Nepal ? ' they asked. * Our hills and fastnesses 
are the work of God. They cannot be taken by mortal 
men. As for the British, they cannot even conquer mud 
fortresses which are the work of men's hands. How then 
can they take our forts, which are created by the Ever- 
lasting One ? ' 

At first it seemed as if the Ghurkas were right. The 
British in India were not used to mountain warfare. The 
-little Ghurkas were very fierce in battle. Their charge 
was terrible, like that of our own Highlanders. After 
firing their guns, they rushed upon the foe with fierce 
yeUs, attacking them with their little deadly knives. And 
the sepoys, dismayed by this sudden onrush to which they 
were not used, gave way before them again and again. 
Misfortune and disaster followed each other. 

Apart from fighting, the difficulties were great. The 
British army had to pass through almost trackless jungle 



486 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

where wild beasts prowled, and poisonous snakes glided. 
The toils and hardships of the way were enough to make 
the bravest falter. And it is told of one officer that he 
was so terrified that he turned and fled back to camp 
leaving his soldiers to their fate. But not many were 
like him. 

When the jungle was passed and the mountains reached, 
troubles and hardships were by no means left behind. 
Up pathless valleys, along ledges overhanging sheer 
precipices, the heavy cannon had to be dragged. As 
they rose higher, icy winds whistled around the men, 
snow lay deep upon the ground through which they had 
to struggle. 

Every pass was defended by a fortress easily held by 
a few against the attacking army. General Gillespie, 
the hero of Vellore, besieged one fort for a month. It 
was held against him by only six hundred Ghurkas. 
But both sides fought with so much determination that the 
garrison was reduced to seventy before the fort yielded, 
and of the besiegers five hundred lay dead, among them 
the gallant general. 

From all sides came news of failure and disaster. 
The Ghurkas rejoiced in victory, and seeing the British 
worsted, all the bandit chiefs in India began to plot 
together for the overthrow of the British Raj. 

But at length the tide of war turned. A gallant 
general, Sir David Ochterlony, carried fort after fort 
in the face of every difficulty and danger. In spite of 
their heroic fighting, in spite of their brave defences, 
the Ghurkas were defeated. They saw at length that 
their vaunted * Heaven built ' forts, and mountain passes 
were no defences against the British Lion. So they 
gave in. 

By the treaty of Segauli peace was made. A brave 



THE GHURKAS 437 

enemy became a firm friend, and from that day to this 
there has been no quarrel between the British and the 
Ghurkas. Later, the Ghurkas became British soldiers, 
and the Ghm*ka regiments are among the best of our 
Indian army. 



CHAPTER XVIIl 

THE PINDARIS AND THE LAST MARAthA WAR 

The trouble with the Ghurkas was over, but the lawless- 
ness of Central India became worse and worse. The 
Pindaris made life a terror. Rather than fall into the 
hands of these fierce bandits, whole villages of people 
were known to burn themselves alive in their huts. 
Rather than be driven off by them Uke sheep, to be sold 
and slaughtered, women drowned themselves in the 
village wells. 

Yet, while horrors unspeakable still raged around, and 
the Pindaris carried fire and sword among the peaceful, 
defenceless villages. Lord Hastings could do little, for 
the directors at home kept telling him not to interfere. 

But at length he made up his mind to look on no 
more, but to crush the power of the Pindaris for ever. 
To do this, he gathered the largest army ever seen in 
India. From north and south the soldiers came ; from 
Madras, Bombay and Bengal, until the Governor-General 
had an army 116,000 strong. It was a far greater force 
than was needed to crush the Pindaris. But Lord 
Hastings knew that he had not only to deal with them 
but with all the Maratha chiefs, who were weary of their 
Subsidiary Alliance, and of the peace that it gave them, 
and who were longing to be free again to fight and 
plunder as of old. And if the Pindaris were successful 



THE PINDARIS AND MARATHA WAR 439 

ever so little, Lord Hastings knew it would give the 
Mardthds courage to rise against the British too. 

But before there was any fighting, Lord Hastings 
found means of settling with several of the lawless chief- 
tains. The Pindaris thus found themselves forsaken by- 
many of their friends, and surrounded on all sides by 
a watchful enemy. In the battles which followed, many 
of the Pindaris were slain, some yielded themselves 
prisoners, and many were killed by the villagers whom 
they had been used to oppress and plunder, and who were 
now glad of revenge. Some sought refuge in the path- 
less jungle. For nearly a year the last chief held out, 
followed by a little band of about two hundred. But he, 
too, at last sought shelter in the jungle, and there, one 
day, his dead body was found, torn and mangled by 
tigers, while beside him, grazing quietly, was his horse, 
the only friend from whom he had not been forced to 
part. 

So thoroughly were the Pindaris rooted out, that in a 
few years their terrible deeds were almost forgotten, and 
those of them who were left became as peaceful farmers 
and weavers of cotton as the peasants whom they had 
plundered in days gone by. 

The Peshwa, or over-lord of the Marathas, had, you 
remember, made an alliance with the British. But for a 
long time he had been growing restless, and eager to be rid 
of his alliance. Although he still pretended to be friendly, 
he was really trying to stir up the other Maratha chiefs 
against the British, urged on by a favourite called Trim- 
bukji Dainglia, in whose power he was. Already, about 
two years before the Pindari war, Trimbukji had murdered 
a man because he would not side against the British. 

For this, Trimbukji was put in prison. The prison 
was not very strong, but so that he might have no chance 



440 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

of escape, he had a guard of British soldiers. But in spite 
of this, when he had been about a year in prison, he 
escaped. It was very cleverly managed. 

One of the British officers had a groom who was a 
Maratha. This man used to walk his master's horse up 
and down outside the prison, passing under Trimbukji's 
window. And as he passed he used to sing Maratha 
songs, which, of course, the guard could not understand. 
But these songs told Trimbukji that friends were near 
and were making ready for his escape. This is something 
like what he sang : 

Behind the bush the bowmen hide 
The horse beneath the tree. 
Where shall I find the knight will ride 
The jungle-paths with me ? 

There are five-and-fifty coursers there, 
And four-and-fifty men ; 
When the fifty-fifth shall mount his steed, 
The Deeean thrives again. 

Soon all was arranged. A hole was cut through the 
waU of Trimbukji's room, into a stable next it, and one 
dark, wet night, he squeezed himself through. Then in 
the dress of a common workman, carrying a basket on 
his head, he boldly marched out of the gate. The four 
and fifty men were ready waiting for him, and throwing 
himself on his horse, he was soon galloping with them 
through the darkness and the rain. 

To hunt for him was useless. He had vanished. 
The Peshwa pretended to know nothing about his escape 
and said that he hoped he might be caught and punished. 
But it was very certain that the Peshwa knew all 
about it. 

It was soon heard that Trimbukji was raising both men 



THE PINDARIS AND MARATHA WAR 441 

and money. The Peshwa, too, began to gather his army. 
Other Mar^thd, chiefs joined them, and the last Maratha 

war began. 

Now again there were many stem fights, brave defences, 
gallant deeds. Both the Bombay and the Bengal sepoys 
proved themselves heroes, and faithful to their British 
masters. In the end the Peshwa was utterly defeated. 
His land was taken from him, and added to the Bombay 
Presidency. But he was left with his title and given a 
pension of £80,000 a year, and so, wealthy and idle, he 
lived in luxury in Cawnpore till he died, an old man. 

The Mardtha power was broken for ever, and Raj- 
putana, which had been torn with war and bloodshed for 
nearly a hundred years, was at last at peace. Indeed, for 
the first time m all known history, there was peace in 
India from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin. 



CHAPTER XIX 

THE FIRST BURMESE WAR 

Although Lord Hastings had come out to India with 
the determination not to fight, he had been obliged to 
fight in order to win peace and justice for India. His 
rule will be remembered as great, however, not merely 
because he added many lands to the Empire, but because 
he brought peace to these lands. 

Lord Hastings was the first Governor- General who 
took any interest in the teaching of the people. Before 
his day the Company had been inclined to think that it 
was just as well that the people should remain ignorant, 
as they would then be more easily ruled. Lord Hastings 
did not think so, and he helped to found native schools, 
and in many ways tried to make the lives of the Indian 
peoples better and happier. 

The change to free trade, which had taken place at 
the beginning of Lord Hastings' rule, had proved a great 
success, and the affairs of the Company had never been 
better than when he gave up his post and went home 
in 1823. 

Lord Hastings left India in peace, and it was hoped 
by all that the peace would last. But very soon after 
Lord Amherst, the new Governor-General arrived, he 
was forced into another war. 

Beyond Bengal, and stretching in a long, narrow strip 
down the bay, lies Burma. The Burmese, about this 

442 



THE FIRST BURMESE WAR 443 

time, had had great wars among themselves, and some of 
the rebels had fled into Bengal, asking protection from 
the British. The King of Burma ordered the British to 
give these fugitives up. But they refused, knowing well 
that the poor wretches would be put to death with 
terrible tortures. This made the king angry, and, having 
conquered Assam, he next began to attack British 
possessions. 

Even then Lord Amherst tried to arrange matters 
peacefully. But it was in vain. The king mistook the 
wish for peace for fear. He haughtily commanded one 
of his generals to drive the British out of Bengal, and to 
bring the Governor- General back in golden chains, so 
that he might be put to death. 

Lord Amherst saw, at length, that war was not to be 
avoided, arid began to collect ships and men. He meant 
to send his army across the Bay of Bengal in ships, and 
attack the Burmese in their own land. But the Calcutta 
sepoys refused to go, for their caste rules would not allow 
them to sail upon the * black water,' as they called the 
sea. So Lord Amherst was obliged to send part of his 
army round the bay by land, where they endured terrible 
hardships, for the roads were almost impassable. The 
sepoys of Madras were not so particular, however, and 
soon a little fleet set sail for Rangoon. 

When the Burmese saw the British fleet they were 
both astonished and frightened. They had never expected 
that the enemy would come by sea, and they had made 
no preparations. What frightened them most was a 
small steamship called the Diana. It was the first 
steamer which had ever been seen in the East, for the 
power of steam was only being discovered. The Bur- 
mese had an old saying that they should never be conquered 
until a ship came up the Irrawaddy without sails or oars. 



444 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Now the ship had come, and it struck terror to their 
hearts. 

After firing a volley into the town, the British landed 
at Rangoon. But when they reached the town they 
found it empty, silent, and deserted. Men, women, and 
children had fled. The only human beings were eleven 
Europeans who were found tied and bound, ready for 
death. As soon as the fleet had appeared, they had been 
seized and condemned to death. They were seated upon 
the ground, the executioner stood over them sharpening 
his knife, when a cannon ball burst into their midst. In 
terror the Burmese fled, leaving their prisoners behind 
them, to be found and set free again by the British. 

The Burmese were cowardly, ignorant, and puffed up 
with foohsh pride. Their army was a mere rabble, with- 
out order or courage. They were badly armed and worse 
drilled. The British ought to have crushed them in a 
few weeks. But instead of that the war dragged on for 
two years. From first to last there seemed only to be 
mistakes and misfortunes. 

In those days Burma was almost an unknown country. 
The British knew little of the people and less of the land 
which they had come to conquer. They found it fuU of 
impassable forests and deadly swamps. AU round 
Rangoon the land was a desert. It was swept bare of 
grain or food, and there was not a human being to be 
seen. 

Soon the rains began. The whole country became a 
reeking marsh from which rose foul mists, bringing sick- 
ness and death. Although the rain poured in torrents, 
the weather was stifling and hot, the men always hungry. 
In vain the country was scoured for food. There was 
none to be found. The soldiers had to live on biscuits 
and tinned meats sent from Calcutta, and these were bad. 



THE FIRST BURMESE WAR 44>5 

The British commander had hoped to sail up the 
Irrawaddy and attack the king in his capital of Ava. But 
the rains made the river a rushing torrent, upon which 
it was impossible for sailing vessels to go. So, for six 
months the army remained at Rangoon. Man after man 
was stricken down. The hospitals were quickly filled to 
overflowing. The men died in hundreds, and when the 
rains ceased, it was found that every tenth man was dead. 

Now Bundula, the great Burmese general, marched 
against the British with sixty thousand men. 

The Burmese had a curious way of fighting. Instead 
of attacking the enemy in the open, they built high fences 
of interlaced bamboo. Then they dug holes in the 
ground behind the fences and burrowed in them like 
moles or rabbits, and from behind these ramparts they 
fired upon the enemy. 

In this way they now surrounded the British, who 
watched them curiously as they made their preparations. 
The Burmese worked so fast that it seemed as if their 
entrenchments rose by magic, and in a few hours the 
British were quite surrounded. 

Then fighting began and lasted for a fortnight. 
Bundula, himself, was brave, and his army was twenty 
times as large as that of the British. But at last the 
British charged the Burmese in their burrows, and they 
fled in disorder. 

The British now marched up the river to Ava. 
Bundula was killed, and with him died all the courage 
of the Burmese. The king began to tremble for his 
throne. He offered his soldiers great rewards to 
encourage them to fight, for by this time fearful stories 
were told of the might and cruelty of the * white 
demons.' But the British swept all before them, and the 
king was ready to make peace. 



446 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Then there came to him a boasting warrior called the 
Lord of the Sun-Set. He begged leave to lead the army, 
and swore to the king that he would save his capital 
from the white demons, and scatter them in flight. So 
the last army which the king could collect was given 
him to command. 

But the Lord of the Sun- Set, too, was defeated, and 
his army fled. Then the king, in wrath, gave orders that 
he should be trampled to death by wild elephants, as a 
reward for his boasting and his failure. 

Now peace was made, and, by the treaty of Yandaboo, 
the King of Burma gave up Assam, Aracan, and Tenas- 
serim to the Company, and promised to pay a large sum 
of money. 

When the news of the war reached home, the directors 
were, as usual, very angry about it. It had cost thirteen 
times more than the Pindari and last Maratha wars. All 
the money that Lord Hastings had gathered had been 
used. The Company was once more in debt. They had 
lost twenty thousand men, and all that they had in return 
were three swampy, forest-covered provinces. 

But these same swampy provinces have turned out 
to be among the most important of British India. In 
places, where in 1826, there were only a few bamboo huts, 
prosperous towns and harbours have sprung up. The 
foul swamps have been changed into the most fertile of 
rice-fields. Aracan has become the granary of Bengal. 
The tea-gardens of Assam are famous the world over. 
More than half the tea we drink at home comes from 
Indian tea-gardens, besides which much is sent to the 
Colonies and to the Continent. 



CHAPTER XX 

THE SIEGE OF BHURTPORE 

Meanwhile the news of the losses and disasters in 
Burma had been brought to India. Many of the Indian 
chiefs and princes, who had not yet quite settled down 
under the over-lordship of Britain, began to be restless. 
As the war dragged on month after month they began 
to believe, and to hope, that the Burmese would over- 
throw the power of the British. They began to look 
forward to the time when the Company should no longer 
be over-lord in India, and when each prince should be 
free to fill the land with lawlessness and bloodshed as 
before. 

When things were at their worst in Burma the Raja 
of Bhurtpore died. He was succeeded by his son, a 
child of seven, with his uncle as regent. But a cousin, 
who wished the throne for himself, murdered the uncle, 
and put the httle Raja in prison. Thus he defied the 
British, who had accepted the little boy as Raja. 

But Lord Amherst wanted no more fighting, so he 
made up his mind not to interfere. When the usurper 
saw this he became very bold and haughty. All the chief- 
tains of Central India openly cheered liim on, and men of 
every conquered tribe gathered to him, until he had an 
army of twenty-five thousand men. 

The fort of Bhurtpore was the strongest in India. 
The Indians, indeed, believed that it couJd never be 



448 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

taken by mortal man. It was surrounded with five 
miles of enormous sun-dried, mud walls sixty feet thick. 
It had nine gates and thirty-five strong mud towers. 
Outside the wall was a broad ditch fifty-five feet deep, 
and one hundred and fifty feet wide. This ditch, in time 
of war, was filled with water fi:om a lake near the 
town. 

Lord Amherst soon saw that he had made a mistake. 
He saw that if the usurper of Bhurtpore was not punished 
there would be war all over Central India. So he sent 
an army against the fort. Fortunately it arrived in time 
to stop the bank of the lake being cut, and water let into 
the moat, and it was still dry. 

The siege began. For days the British battered the 
mud walls with their heaviest guns. The roar and thud 
of cannon, the shriek of shells, filled the air for weeks, and 
still the brown walls stood solid and unbroken. 

Then it was resolved to blow them up. Three mines 
were dug, the biggest being filled with ten thousand 
pounds of gunpowder. The train was lighted, and the 
army waited ready to rush in the moment there was a 
breach. In a few minutes the earth seemed to shake, 
a low rumble as of distant thunder was heard, the great 
waU trembled. Then huge masses of mud rose in the 
air carrying with them the shattered bodies of many of 
the defenders. The sky grew dark with smoke and dust, 
and lurid with flames. The air was filled with shrieks of 
pain, yells of triumph, the thud and crash of falling 
masses, as the British rushed through the yawning breach 
in the mighty wall. 

Yet, before the fort was taken, ther.e was terrible 
slaughter, six thousand or more of the defenders falling 
in the fight. But at last it was over, and the British 
were masters of the place. 



THE SIEGE OF BHURTPORE 449 

Next day the little Raja was brought from prison, and 
again set upon the throne, and the usurper, in his turn, 
became a prisoner. The war was at an end and the Rajas 
or princes, who had been ready to make war, but who 
had been waiting to see what would happen, settled down 
in peace again. The famous walls of Bhurtpore were 
levelled to the ground, and with them the last rampart 
against British rule in India seemed to vanish. 



2f 



CHAPTER XXI 

SATI AND THAGS 

Now at length there came to India a time of peace, and 
Lord William Bentinck, the next Governor- General, 
could spend his time in trying to make the lives of the 
people happier. 

One of the first things he did was to forbid Sati or 
widow-burning. 

When a Hindu died, his body was not buried but 
laid on a great pile of wood and burned. It was the 
custom for his widow to throw herself upon the burning 
pile and be burned too. Sometimes she did it willingly, 
being carried along by a kind of religious madness, and 
believing that she was doing a great and noble deed. 
Sometimes the wretched woman had to be forced into 
the flames with threats and blows, sometimes she was 
drugged with opium until she knew not what she 
did. 

Now Lord William made this horrible deed a crime, 
and any one who helped in it was punished with death. 
It was thought at the time that the Indians would be 
very angry with this new law which seemed to interfere 
with their religion. But there were no riots. Sati soon 
died out even in provinces not under British rule. 

Lord William also put down the Thags. These were 
stranglers and thieves by trade. They were born thieves. 
The fathers and mothers were thieves, and they taught 

460 



SATI AND THAGS 451 

their children to be thieves, as naturally as a father who 
was a tailor, taught his son to be a tailor too. 

Dressed as ordinary people they went about the 
country. They made friends with those they met upon 
the road. Often they would travel for days in seeming 
friendliness, making the journey pass pleasantly with talk 
and laughter. But suddenly, one evening, perhaps, as 
the whole party was resting under the cool shade of trees 
or making ready an evening meal by some village well, 
the chief would give a sign. Quick as lightning each 
Thag would draw a rope from its hiding-place. Whirling 
through the air came the noose, and in a moment it 
was drawn tight round the neck of his victim. 

In a few minutes the wretched unsuspecting 
travellers lay dead. They were robbed of all they 
possessed, and buried at once. For the Thags always 
carried a kind of pick-axe with them with which to dig 
holes for the graves of their victims. 

They had many tricks, too, with which to deceive 
travellers. Sometimes a rich young man would come 
upon a beautiful lady weeping by the roadside. Full of 
pity for her, he would stop to ask what was the matter. 
In a moment the noose would be round his neck. And 
when he lay dead the beautiful lady, wiping her pre- 
tended tears, would be among the first to rob him. 

The Thags had a secret language of their own. The 
children were trained when they were quite young as 
scouts and spies. The cleverest were chosen to use the 
lasso, and so skilful did they become that no traveller 
whom they attacked ever escaped. 

It was not easy to put down the Thags, for although 
they wandered all over Central India, their ways were so 
secret that it was hard to find them. But Lord William 
was very determined to root them out, and in various 



452 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

ways two thousand of them were caught m about six 
years. Some were hanged, some put in prison, and some 
were pardoned and settled down into peaceable citizens, 
and at last the Thags quite disappeared. 

Lord William Bentinck ruled in India for nearly 
eight years. He not only fought against evil customs 
but he tried to bring good into the lives of the people. 
He was perhaps the first British ruler who saw that 
India must be ruled for the good of the Indian people, 
and not just to put money into the pockets of the 
British. 

It was during Lord William's rule in 1833 that 
another great change in the Company took place. In 
that year the Company was made to give up all trade, 
and made to attend only to the ruling of India. The 
trade of India was made quite free to all, and people of 
any country were allowed to live there, if they wished, 
without first asking leave from the Company. 

It was while Lord William Bentinck was Governor- 
General that Lord Macaulay went to India as law 
member of the Council. And when the people raised a 
monument in memory of Lord William, it was Lord 
Macaulay who wrote the words carved upon it. Among 
many things which a man might be proud to know were 
said of him were the words, ' Who never forgot that the 
end of government is the happiness of the governed.' 



CHAPTER XXII 

THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR 

In 1837 the ruler of Afghanistan was called Dost 
Muhammad. He was a rough soldier, young and brave, 
and he had proved himself a good ruler of Afghanistan, 
although he had no real right to the throne. Afghan- 
istan, Hke other countries, had been torn with wars and 
revolts. The real ruler, Shah Shuja, had fled, and was 
now living in India under British protection. 

Ever since the days of Peter the Great, Kussia has 
been spreading her empire southward until * Russian 
designs on India ' have become a sort of nightmare to 
Indian rulers, for now only Afghanistan lies between 
British India and Russia. 

But in 1837 the Punjab had not yet become a part of 
British India, and it also lay between, and its ruler, 
Ranjit Singh, the Lion of Lahore, was friendly to the 
British. The British wanted to make sure that Afghan- 
istan was also friendly, and Lord Auckland, who was 
now Governor-General, sent a messenger to the court of 
Afghanistan. This messenger was supposed to be going 
to arrange about trade. But trade had little to do with 
it. He really went to persuade the Afghans to be 
friends with the British, and to make war, if need be, 
with the Russians. 

There had been war between the Afghans and Ranjit 
Singh, and he had taken part of Afghanistan called the 



454 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

Peshawar valley. Dost Muhammad was very anxious 
to get this back again, and was willing to promise the 
British anything if they would help him to get it. 

But as Ranjit Singh and the British were friends, 
Lord Auckland refused. It was not the habit of the 
British, he said, to interfere in quarrels between other 
states. So his messenger came back from Afghanistan 
without having been able to arrange anything. And 
at the same time a Russian messenger was kindly 
received there. 

Lord Auckland then made up his mind, that as Dost 
Muhammad would not do as he wanted, he would put 
a king on the throne who would. So he sent an army 
into Afghanistan to drive Dost Muhammad from the 
throne, and set foohsh old Shah Shuja upon it. 

This was surely folly, for the Afghans were well con- 
tent with their ruler. They hated Shah Shuja, who was 
proud and haughty, and * neither a soldier nor a gentle- 
man.' Years before they had driven him out, and now 
that he was old and stupid, they certainly did not want 
him back again. 

Ranjit Singh, although he was quite friendly, wanted 
to have as little to do with the British as possible. Now 
he refused to allow our army to pass through his lands. 
So it was obHged to go by Sind, which at this time was 
also not under British rule. But the ruler of Sind was 
not so strong as Ranjit Singh, and so was unable to 
prevent the army passing through his land. 

It was a long, weary march that now began. At first 
the roads were good. Then came long tracts of pathless 
desert where wild hill-men attacked the soldiers. The 
country was barren, and food grew scarce. Half starved 
and weary the army at last arrived at Kandahar. 

Here the Shah rode in triumph through the town. 



THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR 455 

Crowds of people thronged the streets, but it was 
curiosity, not love, that brought them. Along a path 
strewn with roses, with beat of drum and thunder of 
guns, and the shouts of a half-hearted few in his ears, 
the Shah rode to the tomb of his forefathers, to give 
thanks for his restoration. 

Thus far there had been little fighting. Now there 
was a fierce battle, when Ghazni, the strongest fortress 
in Afghanistan, was taken. When Dost Muhammad 
heard the news he fled, and a few weeks later Shah Shuja 
rode in triumph into Kabul. 

Seated upon a white horse, gorgeously clad, and 
sparkling with jewels, surrounded and followed by 
splendidly dressed servants, the Shah rode towards the 
palace from which, thirty years before, he had been 
hunted out. With him rode the British officers in their 
gayest uniforms. But as the glittering procession passed 
through the streets there was never a cheer. The sullen, 
scowling Afghans scarcely turned their heads to look at 
their returned king, or at the hated white-faced 
* Feringees ' who had brought him. 

Lord Auckland had said that as soon as the king was 
seated again upon his throne the British army would 
leave Afghanistan. But now that was found to be 
impossible. The Shah was indeed once more upon his 
throne, but it was only the ghtter of English gold, and 
the gleam of English bayonets, that kept him there. 
The people did not want him, and it was easily seen that 
as soon as the British left, they would drive the Shah 
away once more. 

So ten thousand British soldiers stayed in Afghan- 
istan, and thousands of pounds in good British gold were 
paid to the wild hill-men to keep them quiet. Months 
passed, Dost Muhammad yielded himself a prisoner, the 



456 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

people were sunk in a gloomy, sullen quiet. Tlie British 
believed that they were conquered, that they had 
accepted the ruler thrust upon them. English ladies 
came from India to join their husbands and brothers. 
Soon, in the heart of Afghanistan, the British had settled 
down to the gay social life of home. In summer they 
shot, and fished, and rode. In winter they skated and 
danced. And all the time they were making merry on 
a volcano, all the time the hatred of the Afghans seethed 
and boiled in secret. 

At last it burst out. Early on the morning of the 
2nd of November 1841 the streets of Kabul were filled 
with angry crowds. As the hours went on, the crowds 
grew denser and wilder. Thirsting for blood, eager for 
revenge, they attacked the houses of the British. Men, 
women, and children were slaughtered. Houses were 
robbed, wrecked, and burned. The whole town was one 
seething mass of uproar and riot. Mad with blood, the 
Afghans became cursing, howling beasts. 

Yet the British did little or nothing. They had six 
thousand troops ready to command. But no orders 
were given. ' We must see what the morning brings, 
and then think what can be done,' said the commander. 
He waited to think * to-morrow ' when he ought to have 
been acting. So all day the riot raged, and it was only 
with the falling darkness that the city sank once more to 
rest. 

Next day things grew worse. From every side 
Afghans poured into the city. Seeing that the British 
had not crushed the rioters at once, every man took 
heart again, and did his best to drive the hated foreigners 
out. Day after day passed, days of horror, filled with 
fighting, with mistakes, with misfortunes, with commands 
given and withdrawn, with misery and confusion. 



THE FIRST AFGHAN WAK 457 

The Afghans commanded the surrounding hills. They 
were splendid marksmen, and their guns carried farther 
than the British muskets. Secure upon the heights they 
aimed at leisure, and the British went down before them 
like slaughtered sheep. 

The fort, in which the food for the British army was 
stored, fell into the hands of the Afghans. Hungry and 
weary the men lost heart, and discipline was at an end. 
* Our troops are acting like a pack of cowards and there 
is no spirit left amongst us. We have only three days' 
provisions for our men and nothing for our cattle,' writes 
one. 

At last even the blindest had to admit that there was 
nothing left but to get out of Afghanistan as best and as 
fast as they could. 

So the British Ambassador had a meeting with the 
Afghan chiefs. At this meeting it was agreed that Dost 
Muhammad should be given back to the Afghans, and, 
that in return, the British army should be allowed to 
march out of Afghanistan in safety. 

But even now there were delays. The Ambassador 
began to think that he might make better terms, and 
that after all he would not need to march back in the 
disgrace of defeat. He began to plot with some of the 
Afghan chiefs. But they only led him on in order to 
destroy him, and when he met with them upon the hill 
slopes outside the town, he was foully murdered in broad 
daylight. His body was then cut to pieces, and his head 
was carried through the town in triumph. And the British 
were powerless to avenge the insult. Days of humiliation 
and misery followed, but at last everything was arranged, 
and the long march homeward began. 

Four thousand soldiers and twelve thousand camp 
followers, many of them women and children — ladies, 



458 OUR EMPIHE STORY 

unused to hardship, children unable to walk — streamed 
out of the fatal town into the country beyond. They 
meant to make their way to Jellalabad, where there was a 
British garrison. 

It was a clear and sunny winter's morning, but bitterly 
cold, and snow lay thick upon the ground. Hardly had 
the British left their houses when the Afghans swarmed 
into them seeking plunder. They found little, for the 
British had carried away or destroyed all that they 
possessed. So in their disappointment and rage the 
Afghans wrecked the houses and set them on fire. Then 
they followed the retreating army. 

Soon the white snow was trampled and brown, and 
stained with blood, and all the ways were strewn with 
dead and dying. It was a bad beginning to the long 
march, and as it began, so it went on. While the crowd 
of men, women, and children, wound through the narrow 
valleys, the wild hill tribes rushed down upon them from 
the heights, slaughtering them without mercy. The 
march became a headlong flight. In the frantic rush, 
baggage, ammunition, provisions, all were left behind. 
Without tents, without food or shelter, many lay down 
to die in the snow. Attacked by their pitiless enemies, 
they could scarce defend themselves. Muskets dropped 
from their numbed, frost-bitten fingers, and they were 
mown down like corn before the reaper. 

The son of Dost Muhammad, who had promised that 
the army should march in safety, was powerless against 
the wild hill tribes. But he now offered to take care of 
the ladies and the children, and with heavy hearts the 
men gave them into his keeping. It was a terrible risk, 
for how could any one be sure that they would not all be 
murdered horribly. Yet there was a chance that this 
wild Afghan would keep his word and bring them to 




'CRUSHED BY ROLLING STONES, MOWN DOWN BY VOLLEYS OF MUSKET-SHOX 
THE MEN FELL IN HUNDREDS.' 



THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR 459 

safety, and if they went on with the army, they must all 
certainly die of the hardships of the way. The Afghan 
chief did keep his word, and months later all those left m 
his charge returned home in safety. 

Faint with hunger, sick and numb with cold, the men 
continued the march. But they could not escape from 
their savage black enemies. Crushed by roUmg stones, 
mowed down by volleys of musket shot «»* to p.eces by 
knives, pierced by bayonets, the men feU by hundreds, and 
the army grew smaller and smaller. 

At last, on the morning of the thirteenth of January a 
sentry on the ramparts of Jellalabad looked out along the 
road from Kabul. There he saw one lone traveller come. 
He rode a lean and wretched pony, and bent forward, 
clinoing to its mane like one in deadly agony. Soon the 
waif was thick with anxious men straimng eager eyes 
towards the lonely horseman. As they gazed, their 
hearts sank within them. It seemed as if he were the 
messenger of some dark mischance. Then flinging 
themselves into the saddle, a party rode out to meet 

Him • 

Stricken, wan, more dead than alive, they brought him 
in And when his white lips could speak, they learned 
that he alone, of all the sixteen thousand who had set out 
from Kabul, was alive to tell the tale of that awful journey 
of a hundred miles through mountain passes, beset with 

^^ From first to last the expedition to Afghanistan had 
been a mistake, and the British had to acknowledge that 
they had been beaten. But they could not remain 
beaten. Besides, there were those hundred or more 
women and children in the hands of the Afghans who 

must be rescued. , , ^ r^ 

So an army was sent to avenge the defeat. Once 



460 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

again Kabul was taken, once again the British flag was 
planted upon the ramparts. But meanwhile Shah Shuja 
had been murdered, so Dost Muhammad came back to 
his throne, and the British army marched away to India 
leaving the Afghans to themselves. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

THE SIKHS 

In 1839, while the British were fighting in Afghanistan, 
the brave and wicked old ruler of the Punjab, the Lion of 
Lahore, died. After his death the Punjab was torn with 
civil wars. Plots and murders followed fast upon each 
other, until the whole country was seething with misery 
and bloodshed. 

The people of the Punjab were called Sikhs. They 
were not a nation like the Marathas or the Ghurkas, but 
a religious body. Under Ranjit Singh, however, they had 
grown into a nation. He had formed an army which he 
called the Kalsa or * Saved ones.' These ' saved ones ' 
were fierce, brave men, splendidly armed, perfectly drilled, 
and so full of a kind of wild, religious zeal that they were 
ready to fight any one, or do the most desperate deeds, in 
the name of God. 

The Kalsa was now the greatest power in the Punjab 
and a terror to all. After much fighting among them- 
selves, they suddenly marched across the river Sutlej, and 
invaded British India. 

The British were in a manner prepared, for seeing the 
unruly state of the Punjab, they knew that war must 
come sooner or later. But they had not expected it so 
soon, nor had they expected to have to fight such a great 
army as now marched into Hindustan. So secure, indeed, 

461 



462 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

did they feel, that the Commander-in-chief was going to 
give a grand ball, when the news of the invasion an-ived. 
The ball was given up, and soon the army was marching 
in hot haste towards the frontier. 

In a few weeks four great battles had been fought. 
Never before had the British in India had to fight such 
stern foes. In each battle the British loss was very great, 
and if the Sikh leaders had been as wise as the Sikh 
soldiers were brave, things might have gone ill. But their 
leaders were cowardly or fooHsh. 

In the last battle of the campaign, which is called 
the Battle of Sobraon, the Sikhs were utterly defeated 
and driven back across the Sutlej with great slaughter. 
Lord Hardinge, the Governor-General, then marched to 
Lahore, the capital of the Punjab. The country was now 
quite conquered, and, had he wished, Hardinge might 
have added it to the possessions of the Company. But 
he did not wish to do this, and Dhulip Singh, a supposed 
son of Ranjit Singh, was set upon the throne. He was, 
however, only a boy of eight, so had not much real 
power. A great part of the famous Kalsa army was 
disbanded, a British resident and garrison were left at 
Lahore, the Sikhs were made to pay all the expenses 
of the war, and lastly, the famous Koh-i-nur diamond 
was sent as a present to the Queen Victoria. Koh-i-nur 
means mountain of light. This famous diamond has had 
many adventures. It had belonged to the Great Moguls 
it had been carried off by the Shah of Persia, and after 
its many wanderings it came at last to our own little 
island, and was the largest diamond belonging to the 
British crown, until the great South African diamond was 
presented to King Edward. 

Having arranged matters in the Punjab, Lord 
Hardinge marched home to Calcutta in triumph, and it 



THE SIKHS 463 

was hoped that the Punjab would soon settle down in 
peace. 

For about two years all was quiet. Then suddenly 
two Englishmen were treacherously murdered at the 
town of Multan. It was the first spark. Soon the whole 
Punjab was ablaze again with war. 

* The Sikh nation has asked for war,' said Lord Dal- 
housie, the Governor-General, ' and upon my word, they 
shall have it with a vengeance.' 

But once again the British found that they had stern 
work in front of them. The famous Kalsa soldiers 
gathered again, and fought with all their old courage. 
ChilHanwalla, the great battle of the war, was almost 
a defeat. It began late in the afternoon. The Sikhs 
fought furiously, the air was thick with flying bullets, 
and dark with smoke, and when night put an end to the 
awful struggle, eighty -nine British officers, and nearly 
two thousand five hundred men, were among the killed 
and wounded. 

It was a day of disaster. The British had lost both 
standards and guns, and once at least their horse had 
fled before the foe. Yet they claimed it as a victory. 
So did the Sikhs, and that same evening the men rejoiced, 
and their leader fired a salute in honour of the victory 
over the British. 

But a month later the memory of ChilHanwalla was 
wiped out by the great victory of Gujerat. Upon the 
battle morning the sun rose clear and bright, and under 
a cloudless blue sky the fight began. But soon the air 
was thick and the sun darkened with smoke from the fear- 
ful cannonade which thundered and roared from both 
sides. So tremendous was the firing that the battle was 
known as the battle of the guns. 

The Sikhs fought with all their old fury and courage. 



464 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

The British, too, fought with a fierce determination to 
win. And win they did. At last the Sikh ranks broke, 
and fled. For fifteen miles the British chased the fleeing 
foe. The famous Kalsa army was utterly shattered. 
Cannon, standards, camp baggage of every sort, fell into 
the hands of the British. Resistance was at an end. 
The Punjab was conquered, and this time it was added 
to the Company's possessions. Maharaja Dhulip Singh, 
who was now a boy of ten, was given a pension, and 
his lands passed into the hands of the British. After 
a little time Dhulip Singh came to England, where he 
lived for nearly all his life, like an English gentleman, 
and died in Paris a few years ago. 

There was still another war during Lord Dalhousie's 
rule in India. This was the second Burmese war. The 
Burmese began to ill-treat the British traders and settlers 
at Rangoon, so Lord Dalhousie sent an army against 
them. 

As before, the sepoys refused to go over the sea. 
But this did not matter so much now, for many of the 
Sikhs, who had quite lately been enemies, had joined our 
army, and they were willing to go anywhere. Now they 
fought for the British with the same fiery courage as they 
had fought against them. This second Burmese war was 
very different from the first. It was soon over, and the 
province of Pegu was added to British Burma. 

Lord Dalhousie was one of the great rulers of India. 
He, like Lord William Bentinck, thought of the good of 
the people. He has been blamed for adding so much to 
British possessions, but he did it often to make the people 
happier. Many of the native princes, who were indepen- 
dent, ruled badly. They tyrannised over their people, 
and treated them with great cruelty. Lord Dalhousie 
warned these princes again and again. But as they 



THE SIKHS 465 

would not listen, and try to rule better, he took their 
lands from them. In this way Oudh, Nagpore, and 
some smaller states were peacefully added to British 
possessions. 

But although Lord Dalhousie enlarged British India 
very much, he is to be remembered most for the great 
improvements that he made there. He made good roads, 
and cut canals. He laid down railways and stretched 
telegraph wires over thousands of miles. He brought in 
a halfpenny post over all India. Towns were lit with 
gas, and steamers plied up and down the rivers. Schools, 
colleges, and hospitals were built. In fact. Lord Dal- 
housie found the great peninsula a collection of many 
states, of many tribes, and he tried to bind them into one 
great Empire, one great People. And in this work rail- 
ways and telegraphs were of the greatest help, for they 
bring distant places near, and bind together those that are 
far apart. 



2g 



CHAPTER XXIV 

THE MUTINY— DELHI 

After Lord Dalhousie, Lord Canning became Governor- 
General of India. At first everything seemed quiet. 
But suddenly there burst over India a most terrible 
storm. 

It was just a hundred years since the Black Hole, just 
fifty years since the mutiny of Vellore, when a far worse 
mutiny broke out. 

For some time the sepoys had been restless and dis- 
contented. They had been angry when Oudh was 
annexed for one thing. Next, Lord Canning wanted 
some soldiers to send to Burma. Of course the sepoys 
would not go. He was so annoyed at what he 
thought was foolish nonsense that he issued an order, 
saying that only sepoys, who would agree to go anywhere, 
would in future be taken into the army. This made 
them more angry and more afraid, for they again thought 
that the British were trying to destroy their caste and 
religion, and thenceforth high caste men would not join 
the army. Old sepoys even began to be afraid that the 
new order included them, and that henceforth they would 
be forced to go across the * black water,' and they grew 
sullen. 

They had many other grievances, real or imaginary. 
Railways and telegraphs frightened them. They thought 
they were magic and witchcraft, and said that the white 

4C6 



THE MUTINY— DELHI 467 

people were binding the whole of India in chains. People, 
who were unfriendly to British rule, tried to make their 
grievances and fears worse, and tried to stir the sepoys to 
greater and greater discontent. 

About this time a new rifle was sent out to India. 
The cartridges for this rifle were greased, and the end of 
the cartridge had to be bitten off before it was used. 

One day, in the barracks, a low class workman asked 
a high caste sepoy for a drink out of his water-bottle. 
The sepoy refused haughtily, saying that the touch of 
low caste lips would make his bottle * unclean. ' The 
workman angrily replied that it was no matter, for soon 
there would be no caste left, as the new cartridges were 
greased with the fat of cows and pigs, and the sepoys 
would have to bite them. 

This, to a Brahmin, was something horrible, for to 
him the cow was sacred, while the pig was 'unclean.' 
The mere thought that he would have to touch this 
terrible mixture with his lips was more than he could 
bear. He ran off with the tale to his fellows, in horror. 
The story passed from mouth to mouth, till it spread all 
over India. 

The officers told the men that the grease was mutton, 
fat, and wax, and therefore could not hurt any caste. It 
was m vain. The tale had taken hold too strongly. And 
now that one wild story was believed, others followed. 
It was said that the very flour of which the sepoys' bread 
was made, was mixed with cows' bones, ground to dust. 
To eat this, even unknowingly, would be deadly sin. For 
ever afterwards, they, who did so, would be outcasts. 
And so bent were the Sahibs on the destruction of all 
caste that they stooped to such foul and secret means. 
The story, of course, was not true, but the sepoys 
beUeved it. 



468 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

They grew sullen with anger. They were wild with 
fear too, such a fear as it is hard for us to understand. 
The air was full of mutterings and unrest. In regiment 
after regiment the hated cartridges were refused. In 
some places the officers called them in and offered the 
men the old cartridges which they had used for years. 
But fear had become unreasoning panic, and even they 
were refused. At length, at Meerut, near Delhi, the 
storm burst. 

One Sunday evening in May, when all the white 
people were on their way to church, there was an unusual 
stir. Trumpet calls were heard, mixed with the clatter 
of firearms and the rush of feet. Then flames burst 
forth in all directions. Soon the truth became known. 
The sepoys had revolted. They had fired upon their 
officers, and as the sun went down they rushed forth 
madly thirsting for the blood of their white masters. 

A night of horror followed. The prisons were burst 
open ; from the dark and secret places of the town thieves, 
and murderers, and all evildoers crept out and mingled 
with the maddened sepoys. They attacked the British 
in their houses, slaying without mercy. They robbed 
and plundered at will. All night the sky was red with 
flames from burning houses, and amid the roar and crackle 
might be heard shrieks and groans, mingled with savage 
yells, and the wild clash of cymbals and beat of drum. 
But when day dawned the streets were silent. Among 
the blackened, smouldering ruins the dead lay still. But 
the murderers had fled. 

Along the road to Delhi, through the coolness of 
early dawn, beneath the glimmer of the rising sun sped 
the frantic sepoys. Mile after mile, from the ribbon 
of white road, rose a cloud of dust, marking the path 
by which the dark-faced, turbanned crowd passed. 



THE MUTINY— DELHI 469 

By eight o'clock the foremost of the rioters burst 
into the quiet streets of Delhi. There the ancient king, 
the last descendant of the Great Mogul, still lived in 
empty splendour. Long ago his empire had passed into 
the hands of the British, but yet he kept great court and 
state, and played at grandeur. 

Around his palace the wild horde raged, crying that 
they had killed the British at Meerut, that they had 
come to fight for the faith. ' Help, O King,' they 
cried. * We pray thee for help in our fight for the 
faith.' 

Into the palace they forced their way, slaying every 
white-faced man or woman. Soon the streets of Delhi 
were as terrible as those of Meerut. Every house 
belonging to the British was attacked, plundered, and 
set on fire. Every European was slain without mercy. 

There were no British soldiers in Delhi, so to resist 
was hopeless. The British officers of the sepoy troops 
succeeded in blowing up the powder magazine, so that 
the ammunition should not fall into the hands of the 
mutineers. But that was all that they could do. Then 
they made their escape, as best they could, with their 
wives and children into the jungle. There, new dangers 
and sufferings awaited them, and but few found shelter 
in distant villages. Soon not a Christian was left within 
the walls of Delhi, and it was entirely in the hands of the 
mutineers. 

All over India the terrible news was flashed, and in 
town after town the revolt broke out. Everywhere 
it was the same story — a story of murder and blood- 
shed, of robbery and plunder and destruction. Then, 
after finishing their terrible work, many of the rioters 
flocked to Delhi, to range themselves under the banner 
of the ' King.' 



470 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

There were very few British soldiers in India, for the 
Company had begun to trust almost entirely to the 
sepoys. Now Lord Canning telegraphed in all directions 
for troops. Some he gathered from Persia where there 
had been fighting. Some he stopped on their way to 
China. The Sikhs and Ghurkas, too, had stood firm, and 
now they loyally fought for their white masters. Soon 
the siege of Delhi began. The mutineers held out for 
three months, but at last they yielded to British guns 
The old Mogul was taken prisoner and sent to Rangoon 
where he died. But meanwhile, all over Northern India 
there was war and bloodshed. 



CHAPTEK XXV 

THE MUTINY— CAWNPORE 



4t Cawnpore Sir Hugh Wheeler was commander. 
When he saw the danger coming he sent to Sir Henry 
Lawrence at Lucknow for help. But Sir Henry himself 
had few enough soldiers, and could spare only fi% men. 
Then Sir Hugh asked an Indian prince, called the Is ana 

Sahib, to help him. ^ ,. t^ u ^ ^f 

The Nana was the adopted son of the last Peshwa of 

the Mardthas, to whom, you remember, the Company paid 

a yearly sum of money, after he had given up his kingdom 

to them When the Peshwd died, the Company thought 

there was no need to go on paying the money, for the 

Nana was not really his son, and had no true right to it. 

This made the Nana angry, for he thought that he 

should have had the money. Still, he pretended to 

be friends with the British. Now he promised to help 

Sir Hugh, and he came to Cawnpore with some soldiers. 

But as soon as the mutiny had fairly broken out, his men 

ioined with the mutineers against the British. 

At Cawnpore the sepoys broke open the jail, sacked 
the treasury and magazine, and burned and plundered 
evervwhere. But they did not attack the white people 
Havino- finished their work of destruction, they started 
to ioin the other rebels at Delhi. But this did not please 
the Nana. He called them back, and the siege of Cawn- 
pore began. „^ 



472 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

The place where the white people were gathered for 
refuge was poorly protected. It was an old hospital. 
Round it was a crumbling mud wall not four feet high. 
Within it were gathered nearly a thousand people, but 
scarcely three hundred were soldiers, and nearly four 
hundred were women and children. Without the wall 
there swarmed thousand upon thousand of sepoys, well 
drilled and well armed, for they had all the heavy guns 
and ammunition of the magazine. It needed only courage 
for them to overleap the poor weak wall, and put every 
white man and woman to death. 

But courage failed them. They knew of what stern 
stuff their white masters were made, and they dared 
not overleap that wall. So they raged and yelled 
without, and night and day the flash and roar of guns, 
and the scream and crash of shells, continued with no 
pause. 

Again Sir Hugh sent to Sir Henry Lawrence begging 
for help. But this time Sir Henry, with a breaking heart, 
was forced to refuse. He could not spare a man. So 
without rest, or pause, or shadow of relief, the siege 
went on. The sepoys aimed with deadly sureness. The 
low mud wall gave little shelter, and day by day the 
ranks of the defenders grew thinner and thinner. Yet 
in hunger, thirst, and weariness, they fought on. Food 
began to fail. A handful of flour and a handful of 
split peas a day was all each man received. Water 
was more precious stiU. It could only be had from a 
well within the fire of the enemy's guns. And many 
a man laid down his life to bring a bucket of water 
to still the wailing of a child or the groans of a dying 
comrade. 

Three weeks passed, weeks of sleepless horror amid 
unceasing noise, and constant hail of bullets. The June 



THE MUTINY— CAWNPOKE 473 

sun blazed from a brazen sky. The air was heavy with 
smoke, and bitter with the taste and smell of gunpowder, 
the heat wellnigh unbearable. Women and children 
drooped and faded. Men set their teeth, and, gaunt and 
grim, fought on. 

At length the Nana Sahib proposed terms. He 
promised, that if the British would give in, he would send 
them all in safety down the river to Allahabad. 

There was not a man within the walls who would not 
rather have fought to the last. But they thought of 
the sad-eyed women, and the little listless children, and 
they gave in. 

So early one morning, a dreary procession of weary 
women and children, of hopeless, wounded men, made 
their way to the river. 

There, some native boats awaited them, covered with 
thatch to keep off the heat of the sun. The wounded were 
lifted in. Men, women, and children followed. Then 
suddenly from the banks the sound of a bugle was heard. 
Throwing down their oars the native rowers leaped 
from their places and made for the shore. Almost at 
the same moment the thatched roofs burst into flame, 
and from the banks a roar of guns was heard, and a hail 
of bullets burst upon the boats. 

The boats, stuck in the mud, were an easy mark. 
Leaping into the river the white men tried to push them 
off, but in vain. One boat alone got free, and of its crew 
only four lived to tell the tale. The others were 
murdered where they stood. N ot a man escaped, and those 
of the women and children, who were still alive, were led 
back to the terrible town from which they had just been 
set free. There they were shut up in a place called the 
Savada house. Later they were taken to another called 
the Bibigarh. Here they were treated as slaves, and made 



474 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

to grind the corn for the Nana. And so in slavery and 
imprisonment the terrible weeks dragged on. 

Meanwhile, through the burning heat of an Indian 
summer, a British army was toiling on towards Cawn- 
pore. It was led by General Havelock, as brave a soldier 
and as good a man as ever lived. Like Cromwell, he 
taught his men both to fight and to pray, and ' Have- 
lock's Saints ' were as well known as Cromwell's Ironsides 
had been. 

When the Nana Sahib heard that they were coming, 
he made up his mind to complete his work. So he 
ordered the sepoys to fire upon the women and children 
through the windows of the Bibigarh. But even the 
sepoys turned from such cruel work, and they fired upon 
the roof and did little or no hurt to the women within 
the house. But the Nana could always find people cruel 
enough to do his bidding. In the evening five men went 
into the house armed with long knives. For a little 
time terrible screams were heard. Then all was still. 
The men came out, and the bodies of the poor women 
and children were thrown into a well. 

Outside Cawnpore the British met the Indian troops. 
After a desperate fight the Nana was defeated. His army 
was scattered, and he, struck at last with terror, galloped 
wildly away through the darkness, and was seen no more. 

It is supposed that he died miserably in the jungle. 

The day after the battle the British marched hi 
triumph into Cawnpore. But when they saw the ghastly 
Bibigarh and the still more ghastly grave of those they 
had come to save, these war-worn men burst uito sobs 
and wept like children. 

These things happily are now long past. An angel 
guards that once awful spot, and a garden blooms where 
those poor women died. 



CHAPTER XXVI 

THE MUTINY— LUCKNOW 

The Union Jack floated once more upon the walls of 
Cawnpore, but there was still much to do ere the 
Mutiny should be over. * Soldiers,' said Havelock, 
* your general is satisfied, and more than satisfied, with 
you. But your comrades of Lucknow are in danger.' 
And with the memory of Cawnpore in their hearts, 
Havelock and his men marched on to Lucknow. 

But Havelock had to fight his way there. He lost so 
many men and used so much ammunition that at last 
he was not strong enough to take Lucknow. He 
was obliged to turn back to Cawnpore and wait until 
Sir James Outram joined him with more troops. Outram 
was a gallant soldier, * without fear and without reproach,' 
and together these two brave men marched to help their 
comrades. 

At Lucknow the British had taken refuge in the 

Residency. This was a number of houses and gardens 

surrounded by a wall. It was not very strong, but it 

was far better than the old hospital at Cawnpore. Sir 

Henry Lawrence, the governor, was a wise and careful 

man. Seeing the storm coming, he did everything he 

could to meet it. He gathered stores of food and 

ammunition, and strengthened the defences of the 

Residency. But alas, at the very beginning of the siege, 

Sir Henry was killed. 

m 



476 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

One day a shell burst into the room where he was 
talking with some of his officers. There was a blinding 
flash, a fearful roar, and the room was filled with dust 
and smoke. In the deep silence which followed, some one 
asked, ' Are you hurt. Sir Henry ? * 

For a moment there was no answer. Then quietly he 
replied, * I am killed.' 

So brave Sir Henry died. * If you put anything on 
my tombstone,' he said, ' let it be only, " Here Hes Henry 
Lawrence who tried to do his duty. May the Lord 
have mercy on his soul." ' Then with his last breath he 
urged his men never to give in, but to fight to the end. 

The terrible summer days dragged on — days spent 
amid all the noise and din, dust and smoke of war, nights 
of anxious watchings, broken with sudden alarms. The 
houses were shattered and riddled with shot, so as to be 
scarcely any protection from the burning sun or from the 
enemies' guns. Food was scarce, clothes were in rags. 
But still the men fought and watched, and the women 
prayed and waited, and endured. And Hke an emblem 
of their dauntless courage, all through the siege the 
Union Jack floated from the highest tower of the 
Residency. It was faded and patched, tattered and 
riddled with holes, the stafl" was spHntered with bullets, 
it was broken again and again. But a new staff" was 
always found, and up went the gallant flag once more, a 
defiance to the foe. 

At last one morning, distant firing was heard. As 
the hours passed the sound came nearer and nearer. 
Then the garrison knew that at length help was at hand. 
The excitement and suspense were awful. But there 
was nothing to be done but to wait. It was not until it 
was growing dark that amid the clamour of fighting the 
sound of the British cheer was heard, and louder still. 



THE MUTINY— LUCKNOW 477 

shrill and piercing, the scream of the bagpipes, and the 
yeU of charging Highlanders. A few minutes more, and 
British soldiers were seen, fighting their way through the 
streets to the Residency gates. 

Then from the battlements rose a deafening cheer. 
Such a cry of joy it has not often been man's lot to hear. It 
was the first cry of returning hope from hearts that had 
grown hopeless. It was a sob, and a prayer, and an 
outburst of thanksgivmg, all in one. And as the gates 
were opened, and the men, weary, dusty, bloodstained, 
rushed through, women sobbing with joy ran to throw 
themselves upon them, happy to touch their bronzed 
hands or war-worn coats. With tears running down 
their cheeks the rough soldiers lifted the children in 
their arms. From hand to hand they passed the little 
ones, kissing them and thanking God that they had come 
in time to save them. It was a scene of wild, sweet joy 
and almost unutterable rehef. 

But after all the siege of Lucknow was not over. 
Havelock and Outram had not men enough with them to 
cut their way back through the swarms of sepoys, and 
bring all the ladies and children to safety. So the siege 
began again. It was not until two months later that 
Sir Colin Campbell landed in India, and cuttmg his way 
through the rebels, really reUeved Lucknow. 

Scarcely a week later Sir Henry Havelock died. 
Greatly sorrowing, his men buried him in a garden near 
the city, his only monument being a tree marked with 
the letter H. 

Before the rehef of Lucknow, Delhi had been taken, 
and now the mutiny was nearly over. There was still 
some fighting, but gradually it ceased. Lord Canning 
made a proclamation, offering pardon to all who had not 
actually murdered the British. Most of the rebels laid 



478 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

down their arms, and once more the country sank to 
rest. 

It was now decided that India should no longer be 
ruled by the Company but by the Queen. So the great 
Company, which had begun in the reign of Queen 
Elizabeth, came to an end in the reign of Queen Victoria. 
This was proclaimed to all the people of India on the 
1st November 1858. Now, instead of Governor- General, 
the ruler of India was called Viceroy. And Lord 
Canning, who had been Governor- General throughout 
the mutiny, became the first Viceroy. 



CHAPTER XXVII 

THE EMPRESS OF INDIA 

In 1862 Ijord Canning sailed home leaving India at 
peace. All through the mutiny he had been cool and 
calm. When it was over he would take no wild revenge, 
and earned for himself the name of Clemency Canning, 
a name by which we may be glad to remember him, for 
clemency means mildness or quickness to forgive. 

Since the mutiny many things have happened in 
India, most of which you will understand better, and 
find more interesting, later on. There have been wars 
and famines, there have been mistakes and mischances, 
troubles and trials, but on the whole, the great Empire 
has been at peace. The native princes have become 
educated gentlemen, and, in many ways. West and East 
have been drawn together. 

One thing which helped the princes of India and the 
British crown to become better friends was the visit of 
the Prince of Wales, now King Edward. 

When the native rulers of India heard that our 
Prince was coming, they prepared to receive him with 
great honour. When he landed in Calcutta, the whole 
town blazed with illuminations. Every one held high 
holiday. There were balls and parties given both by 
white and by native people. And all through India, 
wherever he went, the princes and their subjects flocked 
to do him honour. Native rulers forgot their quarrels 

4T0 



480 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

with each other, and joined in welcoming the son of their 
British Padishah. They brought him splendid presents, 
and he won their hearts by his kindness and his courtesy. 
He stayed in their palaces, shot and hunted with them, 
and when he left, many a prince founded schools or 
hospitals, or built harbours, in memory of his future 
Emperor's visit. 

All this time, although Queen Victoria had been 
ruler of India for more than eighteen years, she had 
never been proclaimed, or taken the title. Now, the 
year after the visit of the Prince of Wales, that is in 
1877, she was proclaimed at Delhi, Empress of 
India. 

To Delhi came the Viceroy, and all the native princes 
and nobles of India. Princes who before had never seen 
each other, princes whose forefathers had fought in 
deadly hatred, now aU met together as friends, eager to 
show their loyalty to their Empress. 

Outside the walls of Delhi, on the very ground upon 
which the British troops had encamped when they 
besieged the rebels of the mutiny, there now arose a 
peaceful tented city, brilliant in red and blue and white, 
flashing and glittering with golden ornament. Upon the 
ground that had been red with hate and war, where shells 
had burst, and cannon roared, and a hail of grape-shot 
scattered death, gold and silver cannon, drawn by Avhite 
oxen gaily decorated with silken, embroidered cloths, 
were paraded in the sunshine, and those who had been 
foes met and greeted each other as friends and brothers. 
Gay flags fluttered, bands played, elephants and camels 
with gorgeous trappings paced the long streets of gaudy 
tents. Princes and people from every part of the great 
peninsula met and mingled. It was a gay mass of 
moving colour, of red, and green, and blue, and every- 



THE EMPllESS OF INDIA 481 

where in the sunshine, gold and silver and precious 
stones gleamed and sparkled. It was such a pageant as 
could be seen only in an eastern land, under an eastern 
sky. 

On the day of the proclamation the sky was cloudless 
blue. Upon a grassy plain a tented throne was raised. 
Its silken draperies were embroidered with the Rose, the 
Thistle, and the Shamrock, entwined with the Lotus 
flower of India, and over all fluttered the cross of 
St. George, and the Union Jack. 

Here, surrounded by the glittering throng, the 
Viceroy took his seat, while the band played ' God save 
the Queen.' He, too, was splendidly dressed, in the robes, 
ermine trimmed and gold embroidered, of Grand Master 
of the Order of the Star of India. 

When the Viceroy was seated, twelve gaily dressed 
heralds sounded their trumpets. Then the chief herald 
in a loud voice read the proclamation, which told to all 
the winds of heaven that, 'Victoria, by the Grace of 
God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith,* should hence- 
forth be known also as Empress of India. 

The reading done, the royal standard was raised, 
cannon thundered a salute, the band struck up ' God 
save the Queen,' and a deafening cheer broke upon the 
quiet air, as the people of India acclaimed Victoria, 
Kaisar-i-Hind. 

Two hundred and seventy-seven years before, a few 
sober London merchants had gathered to discuss the 
price of pepper, and had resolved to adventure in a 
voyage to the East. Little did they foresee that from 
that resolve would grow a great Empire, which should 
be gradually pieced together, like the parts of a huge 
puzzle, until nearly the whole of the vast peninsula, which 

2h 



482 OUR EMPIRE STORY 

was to them an unknown land, should be brought 
under the sway of a Queen, to whose power and 
greatness that of their own good Queen Bess would be 
as the pale light of the moon to the golden shining of 
the sun. 



LIST OF RULERS 



LIST OF KINGS AND GOVERNORS 



Rulers of Britain. 


Rulers of India. 




GOVERNORS-GENERAL. 


George iii., . , . 1760 


Warren Hastings, 

Sir John Macpherson (tem- 


1772 to 1786 




porary). 


1785 „ 1786 




Marquess Cornwallis, . 


1786 „ 1793 




Sir John Shoi*e, . 


1793 „ 1798 




Sir Alured Clarke (tem- 






porary), .... 


1798 




Marquess Wellesley, . 


1798 „ 1806 




Marquess Cornwallis (second 






time ten weeks only), 


1806 




Sir George Barlow (tem- 






porary), . 


1806 „ 1807 




EarlofMinto, 


1807 „ 1813 


George IV., . . . 1820 


Marquess of Hastings, . 


1813 „ 1823 




Mr. John Adam (temporary). 


1823 




Earl Amherst, 


1823 „ 1828 




Mr. Butterworth Bayley (tem- 






porary). 


1828 


William iv., . . . 1830 


Lord William Bentinck, 


1828 „ 1836 




Lord Metcalfe, 


1835 „ 1836 


Victoria, . . . 1837 


Earl of Auckland, 


1836 „ 1842 




Earl of Ellenborough, . 


1842 ,,1844 




Viscount Hardinge, 


1844 „ 1848 




Marquess of Dalhousie, 


1848 „ 1856 




Earl Canning, 


1866 „ 1868 




VICEROYS. 






Earl Canning, 


1868 „ 1862 




Earl of Elgin, 


1862 „ 1863 




Lord Napier of Magdala (tem- 






porary), .... 


1863 




Sir William Denison (tem- 






porary), . 


1863 „ 1864 



484 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



Rulers of Britain. 


Rulers of India. 




Lord Lawrence, . . . 1864 to 1869 




Earl of Mayo, ... 1869 „ 1872 




Sir John Strachey (temporary), 1872 




Lord Napier of Merchistoun, 




(temporary), . . . 1872 




Earl of North brook, . . 1872 „ 1876 




Earl of Lytton, . . . 1876 „ 1880 




Marquess of Ripon, . . 1880 „ 1884 




Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, 1884 „ 1888 




Marquess of Lansdowne, . 1888 „ 1894 




Earl of Elgin, . . . 1894 „ 1899 


Edward vii., . . . 1901 


Lord Curzon of Kedleston, . 1899 „ 1906 




EarlofMinto, . . . 1905 „ 1910 


George v., . . . 1910 


Lord Hardinge of Penshurst, 1910 



INDEX 



Abbaham, Heights of, 96. 

Acadie, 24, 29, 62, 77. 

Achin, 362, 363. 

Adelaide, 168. 

Afghanistan, 407, 425, 463, 464, 465, 

456, 457, 459. 
Africa, 246, 362, 361. {See under 

separate States also.) 
Agra, 428. 

Aix-la-Chapelle, treaty of, 384. 
Ajmere, 367, 368. 
Albany, 279. 

Alexander the Great, 347, 348, 349. 
Alexandreia, 349. 
Alexandria, 351. 
Algoa Bay, 304. 
Algonquins, 29, 30, 31. 
Allahabad, 473. 
Alleghany mountains, 62, 70. 
Amboina, 371. 

America, 4, 10, 62, 87, 103, 104, 416. 
American colonies, 86, 90, 100, 416. 
Amherst, Lord, 442, 443, 447, 448. 
Amiens, treaty of, 266. 
Angra Pequena, 246, 246. 
Annapolis, 24. 

Anwaru-Din, 379, 381, 382, 386. 
Arabs, the, 351, 366. 
At3.c£iii 446 

Arcot, 385, 386, 387-9, 890, 431. 
Armada, Spanish, 360. 
Ascension, the, 361. 
Assam, 443, 446. 
Assaye, battle of, 426. 
Auckland, 203, 206, 216, 218, 227, 

241. 
Auckland, Lord, 463, 464, 455. 
Australia, 126, 130, 142, 144, 166, 168, 
163, 167, 170, 179, 184, 229, 233, 302, 
336. (See also separate ^%2XQa.) 



Austrian Succession, war of the, 379. 

Ava, 446. 

Axe, war of the, 298. 

Bantam, 366. 

Bantu, the, 247. 

Bass, G., 136, 137, 138, 139, 142, 144, 

165. 
Bassein, 425, 426. 
Bass Strait, 139, 166. 
Basutos, 248, 307, 309. 
Batavia, 183. 
Bathurst, 166, 167, 171. 
Baude, L. de. {See Frontenac.) 
Bay of Islands, 191, 201, 211. 
Beachrangers, 262, 253. 
Beaujeu, 89, 90. 
Beaver Dams, 105. 
Bechuanaland, 338. 
Bechuanas, 248. 
Bengal, 368, 376, 399, 400, 402, 403, 

407, 409, 416, 418, 425. 
Bengal, Bay of, 443. 
Bentinck, Lord W.,450, 462, 464. 
Bezuidenhout, 269, 270. 
Bezuidenhout, J., 270, 271. 
Bhurtpore, 447, 448, 449. 
Bibigarh, 473, 474. 
Birkenhead, the, 304. 
Bjarne the Traveller, 1, 2. 
Black Captain, the, 267. 
Black Hole, 394, 466. 
Black-robes, 43, 44, 45-9. 
* Black Thursday,' 165. 
Blake, R., 126. 
Blaxland, 156. 

Bligh, Captain, 144, 145, 146, 147. 
Bloemfontein, 310. 
Blueberg, 267. 
Blue Mountains, 166, 167, 169. 

485 



486 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



Boers, 260, 262, 267, 268, 280, 286, 
287, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 
296, 300, 307, 308, 322, 323, 324, 
331, 337, 339, 340. 

Boeuf, Fort le, 87. 

Bois Brule's, 110. 

Bojador, Cape, 352. 

Bombay, 374, 375, 416, 441. 

Boomerang;, 137. 

Boomplaatz, 301, 307. 

Botany Bay, 128, 131, 137. 

Boukephala, 348. 

Bounty, the, 144. 

'Bounty Bligh,' 144. 

Boundary Line, war of, 87. 

Bourdonnais, La, 380, 381, 382, 386, 
891. 

Bracken, T., 207, 237. 

Braddock, General, 88, 89, 90, 91, 93 

Brahmins, 414, 416, 420, 467. 

Brake, 169, 160, 161. 

Brand, President, 320, 321. 

Brisbane, 163, 168. 

Bristol, 6. 

Britain and British, 6, 34, 35, 40, 65, 
67, 70, 75, 76, 78, 79, 85, 87, 88, 99, 
103, 143, 209, 216, 217, 218, 219, 
220, 223, 230, 240, 246, 266, 262, 
263, 264, 265, 267, 286, 298, 307, 
320, 337, 338, 340, 341, 360, 366, 
375, 381, 383, 386, 386, 388, 390, 
394, 398, 400, 401, 407, 416, 428, 
429, 432, 434, 436, 453, 464, 456, 
461, 463, 466, 468. 

British Columbia, 116. 

British India. {See India.) 

British Kaffraria, 300, 303, 310, 316. 

British South Africa Company, 338. 

Brock, Sir Isaac, 104, 105. 

Browne, Governor, 231, 233. 

Buffalo River, 326, 331. 

Bulawayo, 339. 

Bundula, 446. 

Burke, O'H., 168, 169. 

Burma, 368, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 
447, 464, 466. 

Busby, Resident, 200, 201. 

Bushmen, the, 247. 

Bushrangers, 174. 

Bush-whackers, 176. 

Buxar, battle of, 404. 

Cabot, J., 5, 6, 7, 16, 119. 
Cabot, S., 7. 



Calcutta, 376, 392, 393, 396, 429. 

Calicut, 355, 357. 

California, 167, 169, 336. 

Cambay, Gulf of, 358. 

Campbell, SirC, 477. 

Campbell, W., 8. 

Canada, 7, 11, 30, 36, 42, 43, 50, 60, 

70, 72, 88, 93, 99, 100, 104, 109, 116, 

116, 117. {See also Upper and Lower 

Canada.) 
Cannamore, 356, 367. 
Canning, Earl, 466, 470, 477, 478, 479. 
Canterbury, 229. 
Cape Breton, 6. 
Cape Colony, 264, 266, 267, 278, 279, 

281, 298, 300, 302, 308, 310, 314, 

315, 320. 
Cape of Good Hope, 245, 246, 263, 362, 

363. 
Cape Town, 261, 260, 264, 267, 268, 

284, 302, 317. 
Carignans-Callieres, the, 60. 
Carnatic, the, 386, 390, 416, 424. 
Carpentaria, Gulf of, 126. 
Cartier, J., 10, 11, 12, 13, 23, 43. 
Cartridges, the greased, 467. 
Cashmere, 434. 
Caste, 414, 443, 466. 
Catherine, Princess, of Portugal, 374. 
Catholics, French, 34. 
Cattle-duffers, 176. 
Cawnpore, 471, 474, 476. 
Central India. {See India. 
Cetewayo, 323, 324, 327. 
Ceylon, 347. 
Champlain, Lake, 30. 
Champlain, S. de, 23, 24, 26, 26, 29, 

30, 31, 33, 36, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 

43, 61. 
Chanda Sahib, 385, 386, 387, 390. 
Chandranagor, 397. ' 
Charles i., 40. 
Charles ii., 55, 86, 374. 
Chatham Islands, 238, 239, 240. 
Chillianwalla, battle of, 463. 
China, 358, 407. 
Chioe, Fort la, 74. 
Church of England, 229. 
Clive R., Lord, 883, 386, 387, 388, 389, 

390, 396, 897, 398, 400, 401, 402, 

405, 406, 409. 
Cochin, 367. 
Columbus, C, 6, 353. 
Comorin, Cape, 424. 



INDEX 



487 



Cook, Captain J., 128, 184, 187, 200, 

201. 
Cook's Strait, 185. 
Cooper's Creek, 158, 159, 160, 161. 
Cornwallis, Marquis, 419, 420, 429, 

430. 
Cossimbazar, 392, 409. 
Courcelle, Sieur de, 60. 
Coureurs de Bois, 63, 110. 

Dalhousie, Marquis op, 463, 464, 466. 

Dampier, 126, 127. 

Danger Point, 304. 

Dai'ling, river, 158, 160. 

Daula, Suraj-ud-, 392, 393, 396, 397, 

398, 400. 
Daulac, A., 60, 63. 
Day, 373. 

De Beers Mine, 318, 319. 
Deccan, the, 385, 886, 420. 
Delagoa Bay, 322. 
Delhi, 366, 428, 468, 469, 470, 471, 

477, 480. 
Despard, Colonel, 219, 221. 
Dharna, sitting in, 420. 
Dhulip Singh, 462, 464. 
Diamonds, 316, 317. 
Diana, the, 443. 
Diaz, B., 245, 246, 352, 353. 
Dingaan, 281, 289, 290, 291, 293, 295, 

323, 324. 
Dingaan's Day, 294, 331. 
Dinizulu, 327. 
Discovery, the, 17, 19. 
Dost Muhammad, 463, 454, 455, 457, 

458, 460. 
Drake, F., 246, 247. 
Drakensberg, 290. 
Drought, 163, 165. 
Drummond, W. H., 84, 
Dunbar, 91. 
Dunedin, 229. 
Dupleix, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 

385, 386, 390, 391. 
Dupleix-Fathabad, 385. 
Duquesne, Fort, 89, 90, 93. 
D'Urban, 289, 293, 297. 
D'Urban, SirB., 288. 
Dutch. (See Holland.) 
Dutch East India Company, 260, 251, 

254, 259, 262, 264, 266, 360. 
Dutch Laws at Cape, 260. 

East India Company, 360, 366, 366, 



372, 373, 374, 377, 390, 402, 403, 
407, 408, 419, 422, 429, 433, 438, 
446, 452, 464, 470, 478. 

East India Islands, 365. 

Edward vii., 108, 462, 479. 

Egypt, 349, 420. 

Elizabeth, Queen, 9, 361, 362, 478. 

Empress of India, 480. 

Endeavour, the, 184. 

England. (See Britain.) 

Eric, the Red, 1, 2. 

Erie, Lake, 66. 

Eyre, 167. 

False Bay, 257. 

Famines, 408. 

Famine Year, 101. 

Fat Captain, the, 255. 

Feasts-of-Eat-everything, 46. 

Fingoes, 281. 

Fires, 166. 

'First Fleet,' 130, 133. 

Fish River, 246, 276, 285, 362. 

Fitzgibbon, 105, 107. 

Fitzroy, R., 210, 212, 213, 222. 

Five Nations (Iroquois), 29, 44. 

Flagstaff War, 211. 

Flesh Bay, 362. 

Flinders, M., 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 
141, 142. 

Floods, 166. 

Florida, 62. 

Fort William, 112. 

France, 9, 23, 26, 32, 33, 34, 37, 40, 
44, 61, 65, 57, 70, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 
86, 87, 88, 143, 188, 200, 256, 262, 
267, 377, 378, 384, 385, 386, 387, 
390, 393, 397, 416, 420, 421, 426, 
434. 

Franche Hoek, 269. 

Free Burghers, 253, 254, 263. 

Free Church of Scotland, 229. 

French Revolution, 262. 

French, the. (See France.) 

Frere, Sir Bartle, 324. 

Frontenac, Count de, 61, 74, 76, 77, 
78. 

Frontenac, Fort, 67, 93. 

Fur trade, 23, 67, 75. 

Gaika, 270, 274. 

Gama, V. da, 246, 353, 364, 365, 356, 

357, 361. 
Ganges, river, 349. 



488 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



Garry, Fort, 117, 118. 

Gaspe, Bay of, 11. 

Gate of the West, 87. 

Gate Pah, 236, 

George in., 100, 103, 128, 186, 189, 

2G2. 
German South- West Africa, 246. 
Germany, 265, 267, 316. 
Ghazni, 456. 

Ghurkas, the, 434, 436, 436, 437, 470. 
Gilbert, Sir H., 9. 
Gillespie, Colonel, 431, 432, 436. 
Giugi, 386. 
Gipps, SirG., 212. 
Glasgow, 433. 
Gold, 167, 229, 336. 
Golden Bay, 184. 
Good Hope, Fort, 255. 
Good Times, Order of, 27. 
Gorden, A. L., 136. 
Graf Reinet, 264. 
Grahamstown, 270, 274, 283, 284, 299, 

317. 
Great North- West, 109, 119. 
Great South Land, 125, 130, 184. {See 

Australia also.) 
Greeks the, 348, 349. 
Greenland, 4. 
Grey, Sir G., 222, 224, 225, 227, 228, 

233, 234, 238, 311, 314. 
Griffen, the, 65. 
Griqualand, West, 320. 
Griquas, the, 320. 
Grose, Major, 133. 
Guest, the, 361. 
Gujerat, battle of, 463. 
Gunna, Anodee O, 195. 

Haarlem, the, 250. 

Hamilton, 157. 

Hardin ge. Lord, 462. 

Hargraves, 167, 168, 169. 

Hastings, Marquis of, 434, 435, 488, 

439, 442, 446. 
Hastings, W., 392, 409, 410, 411, 412, 

413, 414, 416, 417, 418, 419. 
Hau Hau, 238, 239, 241. 
Havelock, Sir H., 474, 476, 477. 
Hawkins, Sir J,, 365. 
Heart-Break, Fort, 68. 
Hector, the, 361. 
Heidelberg, 331. 
Heke, Honi, 211, 212, 213, 214, 216, 

217, 218, 219, 221, 222, 223, 224. 



Hellaland, 3, 4. 

Henry, the Navigator, Prince, 361, 

352. 
Henry vii., 6. 

Highlanders, 267, 284, 477. 
Hindus, 376, 420, 450. 
Hindustan. {See India.) 
Hintsa, 285. 
Hobart, Lord, 144. 
Hobart Town, 144. 
Hobson, Captain, 202, 204. 
Hochelaga, 12. 

Holkar, Jeswant Rao, 427, 428, 430. 
Holland, 126, 184, 246, 250, 251, 254, 

256, 258, 269, 262, 263, 264, 266, 
266, 267, 278, 279, 297, 359, 360, 
366, 871, 373, 377, 378, 393, 401. 

Holwell, Mr., 398. 

Hongi, 191, 192, 198, 196, 196, 197, 

211. 
Hooghly, 374, 375, 416. 
Hope, the, 140. 
Hopeless, Mount, 160. 
Hoshee, 195. 
Hottentots, 247, 252, 253, 264, 266, 

257, 267, 269, 284, 291, 299. 
Howe, M., 175. 

Hudson Bay Company, 55, 109, 110, 

113, 116, 117. 
Hudson, H., 16, 16, 17, 18 ; his death, 

20, 66. 
Huguenots, 33, 34, 268, 259, 260, 279. 
Hume, 157. 

Hume, Colonel, 216, 218. 
Hunter, Captain J., 133, 134, 136, 

143. 
Hurons tribe, 43, 44. 
Hutt Valley, 225. 
Hyderabad, 421. 
Hyder, Ali, 416, 423. 

Ikorangi, 222, 223. 

India, 6, 15, 127, 233, 246, 263, 347, 
349, 352, 853, 356, 358, 366, 375, 
407, 408, 409, 416, 417, 418, 420, 
426, 429, 433, 434, 438, 441, 446, 
447, 452, 458, 461, 466, 467, 469, 
470, 479. (-See also Individual States 
and Presidencies.) 

India House, 433. 

Indian chiefs, 119. 

Indian Civil Service, 429. 

Indore, 427. 

Indus, river, 349. 



INDEX 



489 



Investigator, the, 139, 140. 

Iroquois tribe, 29, 30, 31, 42, 43, 44, 

46, 60, 62, 61, 74, 76. 
Irrawaddy, 443, 446. 
Isandlwana, 324, 325, 326. 

Jackson Bay, 131. 
James i., 364, 366, 370. 
James ii., 78. 
Jameson, Dr., 338, 339. 
Jameson Raid, 339, 340. 
Japan, 368. 
Java, 366, 372. 
Jellalabad, 468, 460. 
Jharukha window, 368. 
Jhelum, river, 349. 
Johannesburjr, 336, 336, 339. 
John I. (of Portugal), 362. 
John II. (of Portugal), 363. 
Johnston, Major, 146. 
Joliet, 64. 
Joubert, 331. 

Kabul, 466, 466, 469, 460. 

Kaffirs, 248, 274, 276, 283, 286, 298, 

299, 300, 303, 304, 307, 309, 311, 

312. 
Kalsas, the, 461, 462, 463, 464. 
Kandahar, 464. 
Kangaroo, the, 127. 
Karakia, 236. 
Kawiti, 223, 224. 
Keate Award, the, 320. 
Keate, Lieut. -Governor, 320. 
Kei, river, 285. 
Keishama, river, 276. 
Kellys, the, 178. 
Kendall, H. C, 166, 162. 
Kennedy, 167. 
Kerr nugget, 171. 
Kimberley, 318, 319, 321. 
King, 160, 161. 
King, Captain, 141, 143, 144. 
Kingston, 116. 

Kirke, Captain, 36, 36, 37, 40. 
Kirke, L., 38, 39, 40. 
Kirke, T., 38, 39, 40. 
Koh-i-nur, the, 462. 
Kooti, Te, 239, 240, 241. 
Kororarika, 211, 212, 213, 214, 216, 

216, 221, 224. 
Kraals, 248. 
Kristna, river, 386. 
Kruger, P., 287, 331, 334, 336, 339. 



Labrador, 4, 6. 

Lahore, 349, 462. 

Laing's Nek, 331. 

Lancaster, Captain J., 361, 362, 364. 

Land League, the, 230, 231. 

Laswari, battle of, 427. 

Lawrence, Sir H. M., 471, 472, 476, 

476. 
Lawson, 166. 
Leichardt, 167. 
Lescarbot, M., 26, 27. 
Lief, 1, 2, 3, 4. 
Limpopo, 281. 
Lisbon, 246, 366, 368. 
Liverpool, 433. 
Loliengula, 338. 
London, 433. 

Long House (Iroquois), 29. 
Louis XIV., 60, 61, 70, 71, 74, 86. 
Louisburg, 93. 
Louisiana, 70. 
Lower Canada, 102, 116. 
Loyalists, American, 101. 
Lucknow, 426, 471, 476, 477. 
Lusson, de, 66. 

MacAbthur, Captain J., 134, 136, 146, 

147. 
Macartney, Lord, 266. 
Macaulay, Lord, 462. 
MacPherson, 177. 
Macquarie, Colonel, 146, 165. 
Macedonia, 349. 
Madras, 368, 373, 376, 377, 379, 380, 

382, 383, 384, 386, 396, 416, 422, 

424, 430. 
Marathas, the, 411, 416, 420, 421, 

422, 426, 426, 427, 429, 434, 438, 

439 441 446. 
Majuba Hill, 331, 332, 333, 334. 
Makana, 274, 276, 276, 277. 
Manitoba, 113, 116, 118. 
Manitoba Act, 118. 
Manuel of Portugal, 353. 
Maoris, the, 184, 186, 187, 188, 189, 

193, 194, 196, 198, 202, 204, 207, 

209, 213, 214, 216, 216, 218, 219, 

221, 223, 228, 229, 231, 232, 233, 

234, 240, 241. 
Maritz, G., 296. 
Markland, 3, 4. 
Marquette, 64. 
Marsden, S., 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 

196, 196, 197, 199. 



490 



OUR EMPIIIE STORY 



Martin, 377, 378. 

Mashonas, 339. 

Matabeles, 248, 338, 339. 

Matthew, the, 6. 

Mauritius, 142. 

Meerut, 468, 469. 

Melbourne, 144, 167, 168, 170. 

Menindie, 168. 

Mercury Bay, 185. 

Metis, 110, 111, 117, 118. 

Mexico, Gulf of, 64, 69, 71. 

Michigan, Lake, 65. 

Mir Cossim, 402, 403, 404, 405. 

Mir Jafar, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 

402,404. 
Mississippi, river, 64, 70, 71, 99. 
Missouri, river, 64. 
Mitchell, 167. 
Mitford, B., 330. 
Mogul, the Great, 366, 367, 368, 369, 

370, 374, 376, 404, 407, 462, 469, 470. 
Mohammed Ali, 386, 386, 390. 
Mohammedans, 361, 376, 388. 
Molucca Islands, 371. 
Monghyr, 403. 
Monnerie, La, 83. 
Monongahela, river, 90. 
Monson, Colonel, 427. 
Montcalm, General, 93, 96, 97. 
Montmagny, 62. 

Montreal, 13, 43, 46, 60, 60, 76, 99, 112. 
Monts, de, 24, 26. 
Moors, the, 361, 366, 367, 369. 
Morgan, D., 177, 178. 
Moshesh, 307, 308, 309, 310. 
Mount Royal (Montreal), 13, 43. 
Multan, 463. 
Murderer's Bay, 184. 
Murrell, 162, 163. 
Mutiny, the, 476. 
Muzaffar Jang, 386. 
Mysore, 416, 422. 

Nagpore, 466. 

Nana Sahib, 471, 473, 474. 

Nantes, Edict of, 268. 

Napoleon i., 103, 136, 142, 266, 267, 

278, 420, 421, 433. 
Natal, 246, 289, 290, 291, 293, 294, 

296, 297, 310, 316, 323, 826, 327. 
Nawab. (See Mogul and Bengal.) 
Ndlambe, 274, 276. 
Nelson, 205, 208. 
Nelson, Lord, 421. 



Nepal, 434. 

New Brunswick, 116. 

New England, 77. 

Newfoundland, 6, 9, 23, 116. 

New France, 10, 23, 24, 27, 33, 34, 42, 

60, 76, 99. 
New Holland, 126. 
New Plymouth, 206, 231. 
New South Wales, 129, 130, 167, 167, 

169, 176, 194. 
New South Wales Corps, 133, 134, 

146. 
New Zealand, 183, 184, 186, 188, 196, 

200, 203, 211, 217, 229, 241. (See also 

North and South Islands.) 
New Zealand Land Company, 201. 
Nile, battle of the, 421. 
Nile, river, 349. 

Nizam. (See Hyderabad and Deccan.) 
North, Company of, 67. 
North Island, 191, 197, 200, 209, 241. 
Northmen, 6. 

North- West Company, 110. 
Nor' Westers, 110, 111, 112. 
North- West Passage, 15, 23, 65. 
North- West Territory, 116. 
Norway, 1, 4. 
Norumbega, 10. 
Nova Scotia, 4, 24, 102, 116. 
Nuggets, 172. 
Nuhuheva, 200. 
Nuncomar, 413, 414, 416, 416. 

O'Brien, 164. 

Ochterlony, Sir D., 436. 

Oheawai, 219. 

Ohio, river, 87. 

Okaihau, 216. 

Omi Chand, 397, 398, 400, 405. 

Onontio, 61, 76, 

Ontario, 116. 

Orakau, 234. 

Orange Free State, 310, 320, 321, 322, 

336, 340. 
Orange River Colony, 297, 298. 
Orange River Sovereignty, 300, 307, 

308, 310. 
Orange, Prince of, 262, 263, 266, 267- 
Orders in Council, 103. 
Orleans, Isle of, 44, 93. 
Ottawa, 116. 

Oudh, 404, 411, 412, 426, 466, 466. 
Outlanders. (See Uitlanders.) 
Outram, Sir J., 475, 477. 



INDEX 



491 



Pacific Ocean, 64. 

Padishah, the, 480. 

Pakehas, 209, 213. 

Panda, 295, 324. 

Paris, Peace of, 99. 

Patna, 403, 404, 405. 

Patriots, the, 262, 263. 

Patriot War, 116. 

Peachelba, 177, 178. 

Pegu, 464. 

Pembina, 111, 113. 

Persia, 470. 

Persia, Shah of, 462. 

Persian Gulf, 361. 

Perth, 168. 

Peshawar, 454. 

Peshwa, the, 425, 439, 440, 441, 471. 

Peter the Great, 463. 

Philip, Captain A., 131. 

Philip n. (of Spain), 359. 

Phips, Sir W., 77, 78. 

Pietermaritzburg, 295. 

Pindaris, 484, 438, 439, 446. 

Pitt, W., the elder, 92, 93, 94, 99. 

Pittsburg, 87, 93. 

Plassey, battle of, 398, 399, 409. 

Pondicherry, 377, 378, 379, 380. 381, 

383, 424. 
Port Elizabeth, 279. 

Port Natal, 290. 

Port Royal, 24, 26, 29, 77. 

Portugal, 9, 245, 246, 351, 352, 353, 
355, 356, 367, 358, 359, 360, 363, 
370, 373, 374. 

Portuguese East Africa, 336. 

Porus, 348. 

Potatau, Te Whero-Whero, 230, 231. 

Poutrincourt, 24, 26, 27. 

Poverty Bay, 184, 185, 239, 240. 

Presidency Towns, 376. 

Pretoria, 308, 323, 383, 335. 

Pretoria, Convention of, 334. 

Pretorius, 331. 

Pretorius, A., 300, 301, 308. 

Prince Edward Island, 116. 

Prince Rupert Land, 55. 

Pringle, T., 277. 

Providential Cove, 139. 

Punjab, the, 348, 463, 461, 463, 464. 

Quebec, 29, 30, 33, 35; 37, 40, 43, 44, 
49, 60, 77, 78, 93, 94 ; taking of, 95- 
98, 100, 116. 

Quebec Act, 100. 



Queen Charlotte's Sound, 185, 186. 
Queensland, 148, 161, 168. 
Queenston Heights, battle of, 104. 

Rajputana, 480, 441. 
Raleigh, Sir W., 9. 
Rangetake, Te, 231, 282. 
Ranghechoo, King of, 196. 
Rangihaeata, 207, 208, 209, 210, 225, 

226, 227. 
Rangiriri, 234. 

Rangoon, 443, 444, 445, 464, 470. 
Ranjit Singh, 463, 464, 461, 462. 
Rauparaha, 207, 208, 209, 210, 226, 

226, 227, 239. 
Red Dragon, the, 361. 
Red Indians, 10, 12, 13, 16, 29, 83, 

42, 43, 67, 61, 74, 76, 77, 88, 104, 

106, 118. (See also under various 

tribes.) 
Red River, 110, 111, 112, 113, 116. 
Red Sea, 361. 

Retief, P., 289, 290, 291, 294. 
Rhodes, C, 319, 338, 339. 
Rhodesia, 338, 339, 840. 
Richlieu, River, 30. 
Riebeck, J, van, 251, 253. 
Riel, L., 117, 118, 119. 
Rifleman, the, 239, 240. 
Robben Island, 276. 
Roberts, C. G. D., 14. 
Roe, Sir T., 366, 367, 368, 369, 870. 
Rohillas, the, 411, 412. 
Roman Catholics, 99. 
Ropata, 240. 

Rorke's Drift, 326, 326, 327, 328. 
Ruapekapeka, 223. 
Ruatara, 190, 191, 192, 193. 
' Rum Corps,' the, 134, 145, 146. 
Rupert, Prince, 55. 
Russia, 164, 458, 454. 

Saldanah Bay, 267, 266. 

Salle, Sieur de la, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 

73. 
Sand River Convention, 308. 
Saskatchewan Rebellion, 119. 
Sati (Suttee), 450. 
Saulte, St. Marie, 56. 
Savada, the, 473. 
Scott, 117. 
Scurvy, 361. 
Secord, J., 105. 
Secord, Laura, 106 108. 



492 



OUR EMPIRE STORY 



Segauli, treaty of, 436. 
Selkirk, Earl of, 110, 112, 116. 
Sepoys, 388, 396, 421, 427, 430, 431, 

432, 441, 443, 464, 466, 468, 474. 
Seringapatam, 422, 424. 
Seven Years' War, 397. 
Shark's Bay, 127. 
Shepstone, Sir T., 322, 323. 
Ships trading to India, 365. 
Shore, J. (See Teignmouth. ) 
Shuja, Shah, 453, 454, 455, 460. 
Sikhs, the, 461, 462, 463, 464, 470. 
Sind (Scinde), 464. 
Sindhia, 426, 427. 
Slachter's Nek, 270, 272. 
Slavery, 280. 

Smith, Sir H., 284, 300, 301, 303. 
Sobraon, battle of, 462. 
Solomon, King, 347. 
South African Diamond, the, 462. 
South Africa, 267, 269, 273, 278, 279, 

304, 310, 316, 338. (See also under 

separate States.) 
South African Republic, 308, 310, 320, 

322, 323, 334, 335, 336, 337- 
South African War, 840. 
South America, 139. 
South Australia, 157, 160, 176. 
'Southerne Unknowne Lande,' the 

(Australia), 125. 
South Island, 183, 185, 186, 203, 207, 

209, 241. 
Sovereigns and Governors, tables of, 

120, 180, 242, 342. 
Spain, 6, 9, 72, 135, 139, 353, 359, 

360. 
Spanish. (See Spain.) 
St. Croix, river, 24. 
St. David, Fort, 383, 384, 386, 896. 
St. George, battle of, 412. 
St. George, Fort, 378, 375. 
St. Helena, 327. 
St. John's Land, 6. 
St. Lawrence, river, 12, 29, 30, 44, 60, 

62, 77, 93, 94, 102. 
St. Louis, Fort, 41. 
Staten Land, 184. 
Stewart Island, 186, 203. 
Storms, Cape of. {See Cape of Good 

Hope.) 
Stuarts, the, 34. 
Sturt, 157. 

Subsidiary Alliances, 425, 438. 
Sudras, 415. 



Suez, 351. 
Sumatra, 362. 
Sunset, Lord of the, 446. 
Surajah Dowlah. (See Daula Suraj-ud-.) 
Surat, 365, 867, 377. 
Susan, the, 361. 
Sutlej, river, 349, 462. 
Sydney, 131, 134, 136, 139, 141, 143, 
144, 164, 168, 169, 176, 189, 197. 

Table Bay, 250, 252, 266, 362. 
Tables of Sovereigns and Governors, 

120-1, 180, 242, 342. 
Tallow, 164. 
Tasman, 183, 184, 201. 
Tasmania, 126, 139, 143, 144, 146, 

175, 183, 302, 303. 
Tawhiao, 232. 
Tears, Shore of, 354. 
Te Ronga, 209. 
Teignmouth, Lord, 419, 420. 
Tenasserim, 446. 
Terre de Napoleon, 142. 
Thags (Thugs), 450, 451, 452. 
Thierrv, Baron de, 200, 201. 
Three Rivers, 60. 
Ticonderoga, 81. 
Tippoo Sultan, 419, 420, 422, 423, 424, 

431. 
Tom Thumb, the, 137. 
Tonty, 64, 68, 69. 
Toronto, 116. 
Torres Strait, 128. 
Tracy, Marquis de, 60. 
Trafalgar, 266. 
Transvaal, 297, 298, 323, 324, 331, 

334, 339, 340. 
Trek, Great, 283, 297. 
Trekking, 260. 
Trichinopoli, 386, 387. 
Trimbukji Dainglia, 439, 440. 
Tromp, Admiral Van, 126. 
Tshaka, 280, 281, 286, 289, 290, 324. 
Tse-tse fly, 287. 
Tugela, river, 290. 
Tupia, 185. 
Turks, the, 351. 
Twelve Mile Creek, 105, 107. 

UlTLANDEBS, 337, 339, 840. 
Ulundi, battle of, 327. 
Umzimvubu, River, 290. 
Union Jack. (/See Britain. ) 
United Empire Loyalists, 101, 109. 



INDEX 



498 



United States, 70, 100, 104. 
United States of New Zealand, 201. 
Upper Canada, 102, 116, 116. 

Vaal River, 301, 807, 316. 

Van Dieman's Land, 126. 

Vaudreuil, Marquis de, 99. 

Veldt, the, 261. 

Vellore, 431, 432, 466. 

Venice, 361. 

Vercheres, M. de, 79-84. 

Vermilion Sea, 64. 

Versailles, Peace of, 416. 

Victoria, 157, 168, 165, 169. 

Victoria, Queen, 116, 203, 204, 296, 

301, 311, 334, 478, 480. 
Viervoet, battle of, 307. 
Virginia, 87. 
Voyage to Terra Australis, 142. 

Waharoa, Te, 232. 

Waitangi, treaty of, 202, 204, 207, 

214, 227. 
Waitara, 233. 

Waka Nene, 203, 212, 216, 217. 
"Wakefield, Colonel, 204, 207, 226. 
Wairau, 207, 208. 
Warden, Major, 307, 808. 
Washington, G., 87, 90. 
Waterboer, 820. 
Waterloo, battle of, 267. 
Watson, Admiral, 396, 398. 
Weenen, 292. 



Wellesley, A., 422, 426. 

Wellesley, Marquis, 420, 421, 423, 

426, 426, 429, 430, 434. 
Wellington, 204, 205, 226, 240, 241. 
Wentworth, 166. 
Western Australia, 158. 
Whakakotahitanga, 224. 
Wbangaroans, 191, 192, 193. 
Wheeler, Sir H., 471, 472. 
White King (King of France), 66. 
William, Fort, 376, 392. 
William in., 126. 
William and Mary, 77. 
Wills, 168, 159, 160, 161. 
Wilmot, A., 282. 
Winnipeg, Lake, 110. 
Witches, 303, 304. 
Witwatersrand, 336. 
Wolesley, G. J., 118. 
Wolfe, General, 93, 94, 96, 97, 99. 
Wood, Sir E., 384. 
Wool, 134, 136, 145. 
Worral, 176, 176. 
Wright, 168, 159, 161. 

X. Y. Company, 110. 

Yandaboo, treaty of, 446. 

Zambesi, river, 339. 

Zulus, the, 248, 281, 291, 292, 294, 

328, 324, 325, 326. 
Zwartkopjies, 298. 



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